A LEADING Barrow politician claims he wants to see a JCB digger at the entrance to a proposed major development in the town to show residents progress is at last being made on the long-awaited scheme.

Barrow Borough Council's leader, Councillor Dave Pidduck, said a digger should be placed at the entrance to the Barrow Marina Village, off Salthouse Road, next month.

The move, he says, would help assure residents that the ambitious development of Barrow's former docklands - which has been in the offing for more than a decade - is at last moving forwards despite years of setbacks and delays.

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Councillor Dave Pidduck Cllr Pidduck said: "I want to see a JCB at the entrance to show things are happening.

"We've been trying for years to get the marina village under way and residents want to see something finally starting."

Cllr Pidduck added: "It's certainly aged me, this project, so this is what I'm hoping for next month."

Barrow Marina Village was set to transform part of the town's brownfield docklands site into a new 650-home housing development adjacent to new leisure facilities, shops and restaurants, public open space and a business park on Barrow Island.

Barrow Borough Council members now hope a scheme to create a new junction and entrance to the proposed housing site will act as a stimulus to attract private sector developers and investors to the area.

Work on the junction, between Rawlinson Street and Ruskin Terrace, was due to start last summer and be completed within 16 weeks but was delayed.

The work will involve widening the existing carriageway in Salthouse Road, between Rawlinson Street and Ruskin Terrace, to create a new right-turning lane on to the site

The costly regeneration of the wider 400-acre Barrow Waterfront site, which was expected to carry a £100m price tag comprising both public and private investment, ground to a halt in 2010 after falling victim to sweeping changes in government funding.

However, the scheme received a boost in August last year thanks to an £8m cash pledge from the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.

The money was set to be used to clear and decontaminate the former industrial land to ensure it is ready for businesses who wish to construct new premises in the town - bringing extra employment to Barrow.

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