COUNCIL chiefs insist they are "confident" work on the £22 million Worcestershire Parkway will get underway next year - and say they expect it to outstrip expectations.

John Hobbs, a director at Worcestershire County Council, says he believes construction of the Norton facility will start towards the end of 2016 despite the ongoing legal wrangle.

As your Worcester News revealed earlier this year, a private company called Norton Parkway Developments owns the rights to the land and wants to take ownership of the scheme itself.

The council has already threatened a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to wrestle the land from the investors, if needed - although some deal may end up being struck.

Mr Hobbs has attended a scrutiny meeting to update councillors on his department's work, and insisted he was confident it will be on track.

The long-awaited station, which has £7.5 million of funding from central Government and a budget in place forecasting a break-even position after 25 years, is due to open in the autumn of 2017.

Mr Hobbs said he would not be surprised if the station's popularity "takes off", pointing to the success of Warwick Parkway.

"Personally I think Parkway will be a big success, we'll have to look at how we get people there," he said.

"I am confident we will be delivering that project towards the end of next year."

Speaking during a meeting of the economy and environment overview and scrutiny panel, he was challenged by Councillor Alan Amos, who asked him how prepared the council was if its popularity exceeds expectations.

Mr Hobbs revealed the 500-space car park could be extended if needed, adding: "The thing that's in my mind is Warwick Parkway, when that opened the demand was exponential.

"What we all need to be thinking is, let's not be surprised if Parkway takes off, let's be prepared for it."

Councillor Graham Vickery asked him if he thought the car parking spaces would "be enough to meet demand".

He replied: "The design of the site has been tuned to meet the anticipated demand, but that car park does have the potential for more spaces.

"This is a problem I want to have, I want us to say 'Parkway is so successful, how do we get more people there'."

We revealed earlier this year how the council intends to loan £14 million to fund the bulk of the £22 million costs.

By charging for parking and getting access fees from train operators, bosses at County Hall say it will break-even by 2042.

As well as a booking office, toilets, shop and 500 parking spaces, there will be a taxi rank, bus stops and a drop-off area.

There will be a single platform on the Cotswold Line and two platforms on the Birmingham to Bristol line, with planning permission for it secured back in August.

Norton Parkway Developments, owned by businessman Stennard Harrison, wants to team up with investors Capita to take the scheme on.