PROGRESS with Northwich's £28 million mines stabilisation project is on track, according to Vale Royal Borough Council - despite an apparent lack of motion.

Since the fanfare surrounding the announcement of English Partnership's colossal grant, in June 2002, there has generally been a deafening silence from the council - but it insists that the project is on schedule for completion by April 2007.

Negotiations are currently taking place to appoint an official contractor and an announcement is said to be imminent on who will be doing the work, which is expected to commence early in 2004 at Neumann's Mine and Pennys Lane Mine.

These will be used to trial the filling process, which involves pumping in a mixture of millions of gallons of cement, salt and pulverised fuel ash.

Later, the main work will commence on the 26 acres of Barons Quay Mine and, lastly, the 12 acres of Witton Bank Mine will be filled.

Planning permission is also being sought from Cheshire County Council to build a pipeline under the bed of the River Weaver, to connect Barons Quay and a mixing plant at Winnington.

The twin pipeline will carry brine away from the mines, whilst grout for the filling will travel in the opposite direction.

The land above the Barons Quay Mine is principally owned by Vale Royal Borough Council and forms the centrepiece of the long-term 'Vision for Northwich' plans.

Land values are set to escalate once the Barons Quay work gets underway, but the borough council is refusing to say whether part of the £28 million grant will have to be paid back to English Partnerships when development land prices are realised.

Stabilisation of the Northwich mines is going to be a unique and immensely complicated undertaking and for at least three years around the general town area, there will be unavoidable disruption.

The mixing plant at Winnington will be serviced by pulverised fuel ash arriving by train and also by lorries bringing in cement and salt.

The council says the additional lorry traffic will be restricted to 12 movements per day and the numbers will be insignificant even during the period when Hayhurst Bridge is closed for six months.

In 2000, the cost of the stabilisation project was assessed at £16m to £20m, but in 2001, that figure rose dramatically to £28,479,000.

Despite inflation, that remains the budget for the work and Vale Royal Borough Council and English Partnerships remain non-committal as to whether Government, or local ratepayers, will be required to pay if there is a shortfall.

In the meantime, Northwich waits and watches. The next few years are certainly going to be eventful...whatever the outcome.

northwich@guardiangrp.co.uk