Damaged Holloway road to stay shut for at least another year

Various repair options are being considered

A damaged Derbyshire road that has been closed for 17 months will remain shut until at least the summer of 2025.

Derbyshire County Council shut Leashaw, in Holloway, in November 2022 when 40m (131ft) of the road collapsed after heavy rainfall.

It was hoped that the road could reopen in April but the council has now warned repairs are likely to take much longer.

Residents warned the long-term closure is causing major disruption and harming businesses in the area.

About 90 people attended a public meeting about the route, between Crich and Matlock, on Tuesday.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said some local businesses had already been forced to close because of the disruption with others fearing for their futures.

Councillor David Taylor, who represents Holloway on Amber Valley Borough Council, told the meeting: "Businesses have suffered. Shops have closed and it is going to kill the village."

Joyce Stevenson, vice-chair of Dethick, Lea and Holloway Parish Council, said there was "deep frustration and anger" in the community over the continued road closure, which has led to "distrust" in the county council.

Angry residents were updated on the situation

Council officials said the best time to start the work was the summer months but said they were not ready to commence this year.

The meeting heard various repair options were being considered, which could cost millions of pounds.

The council said it might need to ask the government or the new East Midlands Combined County Authority for funding to pay for the eventual solution.

Charlotte Cupit, Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, said a clearer idea of the final designed solution would likely be ready in the next three months.

When asked when the work will start, she said: "I would say you would be looking at next summer at the earliest if everything goes perfectly."

Chris Henning, the council's executive director of place, said the authority was unable to provide compensation to affected businesses.

He said: "We have been in this many, many weeks and could be in this situation for maybe 15 to 18 months more. Please let us look at the options."