Work ready to progress at pioneering town centre project
A groundbreaking scheme to repurpose an old multi-storey car park into modern homes will move forward as soon as physically possible.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and developer Capital&Centric are working closely with relevant partners and authorities to facilitate the restart of construction activity at the former Midway now that foul play has been ruled out following the discovery of human remains on site.
Work to repurpose the municipal car park into 110 new homes, in a UK-first by renowned developer Capital & Centric, came to temporary stop last week when remains were uncovered during the first phase of ground excavations.
The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Coroner’s Service has now determined that there are no suspicious circumstances and Staffordshire Police has returned the site to the contractor.
Council Leader Jonathan Gullis said:
Following the discovery of human remains during works at the regeneration site, our immediate priority has been to ensure they are treated with dignity, respect, and care.
The police have completed their initial work and have released the site back to the contractor, and the matter is no longer being treated as a crime scene. The coroner has also confirmed that the remains are of sufficient age that there is no indication of suspicious circumstances.
Work on the wider site has continued where possible, with planning and co-ordination taking place behind the scenes to ensure the project can move forward safely, respectfully, and as quickly as circumstances allow.
This is a landmark development and one of three multi-million-pound regeneration schemes currently underway in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Together, they will play a vital role in the future of our town centre by creating new opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors.”