Multi-million pound road improvement schemes announced
today by Highways England are set to help create almost 11,000 jobs
unlock the development of more than 4,000 homes.
The improvements, worth £75 million, will create opportunities
around Derby and Daventry in the Midlands, Oldham in the North
West, Durham in the North East and Taunton in the South West.
Highways England is making a £12.45 million contribution towards
the schemes from its Growth and Housing Fund, with private sector
developer contributions and other public funding making up the
rest.
The £100 million fund was set up as part of the government’s £15
billion investment in roads and provides financial contributions
towards the cost of road improvements that are needed for new
developments, which promise timely delivery of homes and jobs.
Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive, said:
As the improvements we’re announcing show, England’s strategic
road network is vital for economic success by connecting
businesses and people and supporting the Government’s agenda of
employment and growth.
The improvements are essential to accommodate the extra
journeys the developments will create, and we will continue to
use our Growth and Housing Fund to unlock further development
sites around the country.
The five schemes announced today are:
- £2.6 million for the A52 Wyvern Transport improvements
scheme. Supported by private and public funds, including the D2N2
LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) Local Growth Fund, the
scheme will be delivered by the local authority (Derby City
Council) to address performance issues on the strategic road
network to allow the 28-hectare Derby Triangle development site
to proceed, enabling up to 3,000 new jobs
- £500,000 for improvements to the A663 Foxdenton and J21 of
the M60 in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Supported by private
contributions and Local Authority’s own funds, the scheme will be
delivered by the local authority (Oldham Council) to unlock 44
hectares of development land, enabling up to 2,000 jobs and 500
new homes
- £4 million for improvements to the M5, junction 25 Taunton,
to be delivered by the local-authority (Somerset County Council)
and supported by private contributions and the Heart of South
West LEP Local Growth Fund. The scheme will unlock a 35-hectare
local authority–led development site, with the potential to
deliver up to 2,400 jobs and substantial benefits to the
operation of the Strategic Road Network
- £1.85 million for improvements to the A1 (M) junction 61,
Durham. It is supported by additional private funding and will be
delivered by HE, in partnership with the local authority (Durham
County Council). In total, around 270 homes and 3,750 jobs are
expected to be unlocked
- £3.5 million for improvements to the A5(T) at the junction
with the A45 to the west of Northampton, to enable a new, 5.9km
local authority-delivered bypass scheme to proceed, linking the
A5T directly with J16 of the M1. Delivered by the local authority
(Northants County Council) in partnership with Daventry District
Council, and supported by additional private contributions and
public funding including the Northamptonshire LEP Local Growth
Fund and New Homes Bonus, the scheme is expected to unlock around
4,000 new homes in the Daventry area
Highways England’s Growth and Housing fund has so far made
contributions of over £40 million to 13 improvements to unlock
almost 22,000 new homes and more than 34,000 jobs around Swindon,
Exeter, Weston-super-Mare, Darlington, Scunthorpe, Grantham,
Warrington, Honiton, Derby, Foxdenton (Oldham), Taunton, Durham
and Daventry.
