ONE of Poole's busiest roads will remain closed until early February, because work to create an access road to a new £14.5m Audi showroom has been delayed by bad weather.

Old Wareham Road, which has already been closed for eight weeks, was first set to reopen on January 11.

But heavy rains held back progress on a £200,000 roadworks scheme to create a new right hand turn lane into the site at the Summit Business Park.

Borough of Poole (BOP) confirmed today that due to the weather conditions causing unexpected delays, the road closure would be extended until February 5.

This is the second time the works have been extended.

Old Wareham Road, which connects Ringwood Road with Dorset Way, closed on Friday November 20 - initially while Southern Gas Network connected a mains supply to the new premises, and from November 23 onwards to allow the junction improvements to go ahead.

A BOP spokesman said: "Current road closure on Old Wareham Road now extended until February 5 due to weather causing further delays.

"Thank you for your patience."

The new Poole Audi - set to be the biggest in the UK and one of the largest in the world - is set to open at the four-acre site on Old Wareham Road this summer - creating 200 jobs.