Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Green light for £30m bypass
Controversial city relief road includes vast bridge over river
The final part of plans for a controversial relief road have been given the go-ahead paving the way for the bypass to be built.
But opponents have branded the project in Sturry “horrendous” and claim it will not solve traffic issues in the area.
The road will run through a new 650-home estate and includes a viaduct over the River Stour.
Controversial plans for a £30 million relief road bypassing Sturry have now been given the full seal of approval - but villagers have blasted the “horrendous” decision.
Kent County Council’s planning committee gave the green light on Thursday to the final piece of the jigsaw to construct the major link between the A28 Sturry Road and A291.
About 1,200 vehicles use the snarled-up Sturry level crossing every hour, and with approved plans for 1,086 homes nearby, there are fears the existing infrastructure will not be able to cope.
Planners hope the introduction of a bypass will reduce traffic flow at the crossing by about 60%, and the project was approved at a crunch meeting with all but one councillor voting in favour.
It was refused five months ago due to concerns over the proposed route and environmental implications, but has now been given the go-ahead at the second time of asking.
It means a three-lane, 250metre viaduct, which makes up part of the 0.9-mile bypass, will be built stretching over the River Stour.
Traffic lights will also be installed at the existing junction by the level crossing, and the outbound bus stop at the foot of Sturry Hill will be moved to the other side.
Last week’s decision means all aspects of the relief road have now been given the green light, with the initial section running through the planned Sturry housing estate previously approved.
Motorists will be able to opt between using the bypass or taking the traditional route over the level crossing.
But Sturry Parish Council chairman Ashley Bubb says the village is severely disappointed with the decision.
“It is ridiculous and one of the most stupid decisions in the past 25 years,” he said.
“Anyone in their right mind who knows the area will know that no matter what road layout is designed, it will never work with the train crossing being there.
“Sturry is in for hellish time. We are a compacted village and cannot take more over development. The solution would be to downsize or get rid of the big housing development, but that is set in stone.
“I’ve not come across one person in the area who thinks it is going to have any benefits. It just going to make things horrendous.
“The bypass won’t stop the trains from coming, so the barriers are still going to be down for 20 minutes every hour.”
Speaking at the KCC meeting, Cllr Rosalind Binks (Con) said: “It might look good on paper, but unless the road is wider, this will not work in practice.
“You will get a queue going all the way up the hill, with all the air pollution they are currently experiencing.”
Maidstone Cllr Nick Chard (Con) said: “It is complicated and quite often it does elicit strong emotions from various people, namely local residents.
“I fully understand and accept that. We are here to determine a planning application on planning issues.”
To help fund the bypass, a government pot of £5.9 million cash - put forward to help finance the project by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (Selep) - is available.
Had the bypass plan been rejected, the cash would have been diverted to projects in Essex. Therefore, last week’s meeting was the final chance for the project to make use of the cash.
The application was eventually passed following a lengthy and heated two-hour public debate.
As part of the plans, a new roundabout will be built on Sturry Road between the Vikings car showroom and Perryfield Farm.
Drivers will access the viaduct off the roundabout and go across the elevated road, before either turning left onto Broad Oak Road, or turning right onto a new roundabout and heading through the yet-to-be-built 650home development and onto Sturry Hill.
The viaduct will operate with a 30mph speed limit through the housing developments and 40mph on the viaduct section over the railway and down to the A28.
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