A compulsory purchase order (CPO) that is needed for a priority regeneration project in Stoke-on-Trent city centre has been approved by communities secretary John Denham.

The compulsory purchase order will bring into public ownership land that is needed for the building of a new Tesco supermarket and an important 540m extension to the Potteries Way city centre ring road.

A public inquiry was held into the CPO application in March 2009. The report of inquiry inspector Philip Crookes and the decision letter from the Communities Secretary have now been published.

The CPO was made on 14 small parcels of land totalling 0.45 hectares in the area of Tesco’s proposed new store off Clough Street. Only one objection remained at the time of the public inquiry.

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The extended Potteries Way ring road will help traffic flow into and out of Stoke-on-Trent city centre. It will also help make the city centre more attractive for the occupiers and investors into the major redevelopment projects of the East West shopping centre and the Central Business District.

Tesco was given planning permission for a new store and for the link road in May 2005. The land needed for building has already been cleared.

Brian Ward, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: "Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been working for several years to encourage redevelopment of the Clough Street area and the extension of the city centre ring road.

"We are pleased with the outcome of the public inquiry into the compulsory purchase order. We now look forward to Tesco beginning work on the ring road and building their new store.

"The start of work will redevelop land that is currently unused and help to kick start regeneration of the city centre."

(CD/KMcA)