WORK on a retail park that could create 50 jobs and help regenerate Holderness Road is set to restart next week after the plans were shelved earlier this year.
B&M Bargains will be the anchor shop for the new retail park at Mount Pleasant, east Hull, which will feature four other stores.
Shoppers and retailers in Holderness Road had welcomed the development of the retail park after it was approved by Hull City Council in April, with work scheduled to start in the summer.
However, plans by developer Dransfield Properties stalled in July when the firm announced it was shelving them because of covenants restricting the use of the land.
At the time, Dransfield, which owns the freehold, said the land had been designated for industrial use and the cost of lifting the covenants threatened the viability of the scheme.
However, after a deal was thrashed out between the company and the city council, work is now scheduled to begin next week.
Councillor Adam Williams said: "This is a really good opportunity to help regenerate Holderness Road in general and create more jobs.
"There are a lot of shops down Holderness Road that will benefit from future development.
"It means more jobs for local people, both in the construction of the park and working in the shops."
Two existing shop fronts in Holderness Road will also be refurbished by Dransfield and brought back into use as part of the scheme.
Main contractor Houlton will move onto the site next week, with work expected to be completed by June.
Amanda Holmes, of Dransfield Properties, said: "We are delighted to be able move forward with our development on Holderness Road.
"There is a great deal of support and enthusiasm in the area to see this site developed and we are pleased to be announcing a start date this side of Christmas.
"We'd like to thank everyone for their support and we look forward to work getting started later this month."
As well as the Mount Retail Park, close to the new site, Dransfield has also developed two other similar schemes in Hull – Kingston Shopping Park, in Holderness Road, and the St Andrew's Retail Park in Hessle Road, west Hull.
Cllr Williams, Liberal Democrat councillor for Drypool ward, said: "I have been pushing the council to keep speaking to the firm about the plans. I'm glad it's been resolved."
Tony Parker, chairman of Holland Street Residents' Association, said the new retail park would play a part in the regeneration of the area. He said: "This will be spot-on. I've no objections at all.
"I am pleased about the jobs, as long as they will be proper jobs and not these ones where people get paid for five hours but have to work 50.
"Something like this can't be anything but good news."
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