TWO defiant councils have hit out at plans for an “unwanted and unnecessary” new £70 million dual carriageway, being built to enable a 9,000 home new town to go ahead.

Both Wivenhoe Town Council and Elmstead Parish Council have submitted objections to Essex County Council’s plans for the new road, which will link the A120 with the A133 at Colchester.

The 2.4km dual carriageway, which will have a 50mph speed limit, is being built to allow a 9,000 home new town on the Tendring Colchester border to go ahead.

Wivenhoe Town Council said it had not seen any evidence the road was needed for the region and other improvements, such as works to the A120, should be prioritised.

The council added it wouldn’t help encourage people out of their cars and “contradicts the Climate Emergency Declarations made by Colchester Council and Tendring Council and the goals of the Essex Climate Action Commission”.

It said: “Wivenhoe Town Council considers the link road is unwanted and unnecessary, as well as being environmentally devastating.

“Also, the application has large gaps in its evidence base and the conclusions made from it don’t bear scrutiny.”

Link Road

 

Elmstead Parish Council said residents of the village would suffer “financially, mentally and physically” from the new road.

The council said: “The need for the link road as a regional road has never been proven – there is simply no evidence that it is required.

“In addition, this planning application has been submitted at a time when the Department for Transport is reviewing its road programme and the demand for, and cost-benefit of, new roads due to pandemic-related changes reductions in car movements.”

It added: “A link road is problematic because it will make driving too easy for residents of the garden community and will, therefore, increase traffic in Colchester.”

Read more:

The link road is being developed in conjunction with plans for a so-called rapid transit system, linking the new town with Colchester town centre via buses.

A decision on the planning application is set to be made this month. If approved, construction would start next year with a view for completion in 2024.

Funding for the new road has been secured from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund.

You can view the planning application here.