A SYMBOLIC step has been taken on the road to delivering Barrow's long-awaited Marina Village.

The first sod of land was cut yesterday as work began on the gateway to the development.

It marked a significant milestone in the faltering project, which has been beset by delays.

The leader of Barrow Council, Dave Pidduck led a short ceremony before the diggers moved in.

He said: "It was very pleasing to start the project. I've always said to people that when I see a digger on the site I will believe it's going to happen and there are a number of them there now.

"This is just the beginning. We are not building penthouses there at the moment, but if we start to lay the infrastructure, the private sector will start to realise the public sector is investing and will start to have a look.

"The council has been at it for a number of years, quietly buying up the land that was needed. The Local Enterprise Partnership supported us at the beginning when it was formed and we had our project ready to go. That was brilliant.

"The county council has played its part too. It has been about partnership working to get to where we are now."

The new access will open up brownfield land to allow construction traffic to get to the site of the new Barrow Marina Village and Waterfront Development.

The existing site access, from Salthouse Road, is considered inappropriate due to being too narrow, too constrained and not meeting visibility standards.

The updated road will be suitable for construction traffic and will also be used as permanent access for the development of homes. It is envisaged as one of multiple future access sites to the wider Marina Village housing site.

Among the contractors working on the project is Esh Border Construction.

Regional managing director, Stephen Wilkie, said: “We are extremely excited to be involved in the Marina Village and associated works project.

“Today’s ceremony marks the first infrastructure development on the road to bringing to fruition this key strategic site, which will totally transform Barrow’s waterfront and revitalise housing and business in the area.”

The works will provide a new priority junction with a right turn lane on Salthouse Road.

The proposal includes:

- Widening of the existing carriageway on the south side of Salthouse Road between Rawlinson Street and Ruskin Terrace to accommodate a right turn lane

- A short section of new carriageway leading off Salthouse Road and onto the Marina Village site

- A new kerbed island refuge to allow pedestrians to cross the road safely

- Improved road lighting, surfacing, road markings and traffic signs.

The Marina Village area, to the south of Salthouse Road, is hoped to include around 650 new homes, a cruise ship terminal, a wildlife attraction and a multi-purpose sports village. When completed, it will help re-connect the town centre with the waterfront area.