A MULTI-MILLION pound highways project has been branded a “road to nowhere”.
In September 2009 a £3.6m highway improvement project got under way on the A55 Warren Bank Interchange, near Broughton, which would pave the way for the controversial Warren Hall business park.
But now community leaders say the business park, which was purported to bring 7,000 jobs to the region, might never be built due to the current economic climate.
Broughton south councillor Dave McFarlane said: “The interchange was a waste of money.
“My worry is Warren Hall is a white elephant because of the financial climate. I don’t believe there are any businesses to go there.
“A lot of taxpayers’ money has been spent on the interchange and the land will just sit there.”
As well as leading to the business park, the road was also supposed to alleviate traffic through Broughton village, but residents say it has made no difference.
Tony Swinburn, of Thornhill Close, said if the business park did not get built it would be a “road to nowhere”.
“It’s just a waste of space because it’s done nothing for the village,” he said.
“They said it would take traffic out of the village, but we have seen no difference.”
The start of the highways project was launched to a huge fanfare when Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones hailed the development as a key part of Flintshire’s economic future.
The Welsh Government, which ploughed £2 million into the scheme, gave the green light for the ambitious project in April 2008, but the planning consent required the multi-million pound road improvements were carried out first.
The highway upgrade, which was completed in December last year, included building two additional easterly slip roads to create an all-way interchange, together with the creation of two more roundabouts on the A5104, either side of the A55.
During construction residents living in nearby Thornhill Close endured daily dust showers and constant noise.
Mr Swinburn added: “If it doesn’t get built then it was all in vain.
“I don’t know what will happen with the business park, but I think the whole thing was a pointless exercise. If you look at Deeside Industrial Park there are units empty and it’s the same in Saltney and Chester.”
Cllr McFarlane added: “Until the climate picks up I can’t see that anything will happen with it, it will just sit there for the next 10 years.”
The proposed 193-acre business park includes plans for a 120-bed hotel, as well as 76,000 sq metres of office space.
A spokesman for the Welsh Government confirmed the future of the site was “under review”.
The spokesman said: “The Welsh Government is undertaking a review of its employment land and property portfolio across Wales, which includes Warren Hall, to determine how they can be best used to deliver policy objectives and whether there is potential for involving the private sector in the development of some sites.”