A PRIVATE company embroiled in a battle over Worcestershire Parkway has demanded fresh talks within "one week" over the £22 million project - insisting it will not back down over a legal battle.

Norton Parkway Developments, which owns the lucrative rights to the land, told your Worcester News it was willing to fight a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) all the way to court if needed.

It has led to a firm response at Worcestershire County Council, with the leader saying he will not accept any delays due to a firm seeking "financial gain".

As your Worcester News revealed last week, planning permission has been awarded for the hugely important project, which the council has its own designs for and funding in place from the Government.

The timescales are very tight, and crucial negotiations with train operators have been based on a pledge of opening it in the autumn of 2017.

But Norton Parkway Developments, owned by Stennard Harrison, owns the rights over the site and wants to build it in a joint scheme with developer Capita.

Bosses at County Hall have threatened using a CPO to try and wrestle the site from the firm's control after deadlock.

Mr Harrison has now sent a letter to the council asking for fresh talks over giving his firm the deal, which he wants a response on "by the middle of next week".

He said: "They appear to be stonewalling us and I have asked for an urgent meeting to resolve these issues.

"I have written to them to give them one last chance. They cannot deliver Worcestershire Parkway without us, we control the rights to the land and that is registered with the Land Registry."

He said his letter to the council asks for talks with the chief executive Clare Marchant, John Hobbs, the corporate director in charge of transport and Nigel Hudson, an officer underneath him.

But Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader, said he was determined to stick to the spring 2017 opening whatever the outcome.

He added: "It's excellent news that parkway has got planning approval, it's another step forward and I am determined that we get this delivered.

"I always worry about engineering projects, because they are difficult.

"If a private company wants to obstruct the people of Worcestershire, presumably for financial gain, does the law allow them to do that?

"We will continue down our path - of course we're interested in open dialogue with the land owners but we will use a CPO if necessary."

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.

The station already has £7.5 million of funding from central Government, with the council ready to take out a £14 million loan to fund the rest.

By charging for parking and getting access fees from train operators, bosses at County Hall say it will break-even after 25 years.