Exclusive by Matthew Legg Business editor

Last updated at 09:30, Friday, 27 February 2009

Carlisle's proposed western bypass faces yet another delay after Stone Age artefacts were found on the route.

The Carlisle Northern Development route through Kingmoor Park

A potentially significant find from the Mesolithic age was unearthed during surveying work for the road, known as the Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR).

It has not been revealed what was found and where it was dug up, but it was on what is described as “a small plot”.

Archaeologists have now requested further exploratory work be carried out.

If the find is deemed important enough, a full-scale archaeological excavation would be launched, potentially stalling the problem-hit project for months.

It is not anticipated the route would need to be altered to avoid the site.

A Cumbria County Council spokesman said: “The archaeological surveying work which has been carried out along the length of the route for the new road has identified one small plot where there is the potential for findings from the Mesolithic age.

“Archaeologists believe further exploratory work should be carried out.

“This will involve surveys and sample boring to identify whether specific areas require archaeological excavation.

“We don’t anticipate it having any impact on the agreed design of the new road and will plan it into the overall road-building programme once it’s clearer what work is necessary. We have already made considerable progress on clearing trees and carrying out preparatory work such as the ecological surveys which affirms the county council’s commitment to building the CNDR.”

Much pre-development work for the scheme has already taken place on the outskirts of Carlisle. Contractors have removed scores of trees and five miles of hedgerow from the route of the five-mile road that will run between the A595 at Newby West and junction 44 of the M6.

Work has been carried out at both ends of the £142m route along a corridor close to the city’s Asda store at Kingstown and at the site of what will be a roundabout at the junction of Wigton Road and Moorhouse Road.

The CNDR has been dogged by setbacks since its inception, including the near collapse of its original financial backer Franco-Belgian bank Dexia.

That prompted Connect CNDR, the Balfour Beatty-run company behind the scheme, to open talks with other potential lenders.

And the problem appeared to have been solved when it was announced a consortium of four banks were ready to step in with a £142.8m bail-out.

The news raised hopes the contract to build the road could finally be signed next month.

However, final agreements are not yet in place, and that timescale has been described as “challenging”.

Once the deal is signed, construction work proper should start immediately. It is still hoped the road will be open by 2011.

The project was originally due to begin in earnest this spring, before stricken Dexia had to be bailed out as a result of the credit crunch.

The Government then stepped in with a £4.2m advance to allow preparatory works for the project to continue.

The private finance initiative deal for the road covers its construction and maintenance for 30 years, along with maintenance of 93 miles of the A7, A6071, A689, A594, A595 and A596 in north Cumbria.

First published at 05:24, Friday, 27 February 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk