Essex County Council stresses commitment to second phase of A1331 link road with works underway on phase one

Main works on phase one of the new A1331 are underway, the latest element of infrastructure to be delivered as part of the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community.

Works on the first phase of the new A1331 link road have begun, which will provide three new roundabouts as future access to the new garden community.

Councillor Lee Scott, Cabinet Member for Planning a Growing Economy, and Councillor Lesley Wagland, Deputy to the Leader at Essex County Council, joined other guests to take the first ceremonial spadefuls of earth to mark the start of main construction.

Funded as part of a £99 million package of investment by Homes England, which also includes the Colchester Rapid Transit System, phase one of the A1331 is the first piece of infrastructure to directly support the future delivery of the new Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community.

The 16-month project, which is being constructed by Octavius Infrastructure, will result in three new roundabouts as future access to the new garden community.

There will also be a 1.8km cycleway, provision for pedestrians and horse riders, and ecological measures including 47,000 plants.

Speaking at the event, Councillor Lee Scott welcomed the start of the works, reiterating the importance of delivering the road in full.

He said: “The start of main works on the A1331 is a demonstration of our infrastructure-led approach, and the importance of working across the political divide to work together as councils to deliver homes in a different way.

“The new garden community will grow and evolve over many many years, and we are resolute in ensuring that the right infrastructure is delivered at the right time to support this.

“As a partnership of local councils, we want to see the full link road completed as soon as possible. We have always taken the view – based on technical analysis over a number of years, but rooted in common sense – that it won’t work to have traffic from 7,500 homes reliant on local roads to make every journey. We need a connection to the A120 on to the national Strategic Road Network.

“We have already had the commitment from the developer for the Garden Community, that if alternative means of funding cannot be identified for the delivery of Phase 2, they will fund it, but we want to deliver this sooner, and we are working closely with the new government to build on the support we have already seen”

For more information on the A1331 works, please visit www.essexhighways.org/a1331