COUNCILLORS are warning that the loss of hundreds of jobs from Northwich is a wake-up call to finally get things right at Gadbrook Park.

Online retail giant The Hut Group has confirmed it will move its head office to Manchester Airport by the end of the year – slashing its workforce in Rudheath from 1,100 to 500 in the process.

The Hut Group, which is set to create thousands of new jobs in Manchester, blamed ‘a lack of adequate infrastructure’ at Gadbrook Park for the move – most notably a lack of parking for staff.

Cllr Mark Stocks, Cheshire West and Chester Council member for the neighbouring Shakerley ward, is the Conservative group’s shadow cabinet member for economic development and infrastructure.

He wants to see ‘positive measures’ put in place which can benefit both current and future businesses at Gadbrook Park.

“It’s very sad news that The Hut Group is relocating to Manchester,” Cllr Stocks said.

“As a council we should have been more proactive in addressing the parking issues there are at Gadbrook Park, which have got worse in the last few years.

“We need to have some infrastructure investment around Gadbrook Park to ensure that the issues that faced The Hut Group are alleviated.”

Commuters and Rudheath residents alike have had several issues surrounding parking for workers at Gadbrook Park in recent years.

Last December CWAC painted double yellow lines on streets neighbouring the business park, while a planning application to build a 673-space car park for staff at The Hut Group and Roberts Bakery was withdrawn.

Cllr Tony Lawrenson, Labour CWAC member for Witton and Rudheath, has previously campaigned for improved parking provision at Gadbrook Park – with many commuters forced to park outside homes in his ward.

He said: “If the companies can’t provide parking spaces then it’s a great relief they are moving somewhere else.

“It’s not the fault of the workers, it is the fault of the companies. I feel sorry for the people that have got to move but for people in Rudheath it might be a good thing.

“Rudheath Parish Council allows the workers to park at The Venue for a charge and there are a lot of people who park there, so the problem would be even worse.”

Cllr Brian Clarke, CWAC cabinet member for economic development and infrastructure, said the council has not been able to accommodate The Hut Group’s expansion ‘due to its sheer size and scale’ – leaving the firm to consider locations out of Northwich.

He said: “A number of options for additional land and parking have been explored with The Hut Group over the last 18 months, however these were not able to be progressed as they did not match their business needs.

“We continue to work closely with the Gadbrook Park BID to find a solution to parking, and access and egress to the site, which is testament to the success of how well used Gadbrook Park is.

“The council has secured £3 million external funding to improve access to the park and we hope that this will help The Hut Group to retain a presence on the estate.

“The council will ensure that we continue to market Gadbrook as a key investment location in the north west and we will continue to offer help and assistance to all existing and new businesses.”