The Great Leighs bypass will give many residents a quieter life but a farmer says it will lead to the closure of part of his business.
Turkey farmer David Partridge, 66, of Rochester Farm, on the present A131 which runs through Great Leighs, is closing his farm shop because of the new road.
Essex County Council said depending on the weather, the bypass was set to open the week beginning September 24.
Mr Partridge has invited a "prominent person", though he would not say who, to a shop closing ceremony the day the road opens.
He has been working at the farm for 52 years and said: "Everybody shouts 'I can get out my front gate easier.' My whole life's work has gone west because of the bypass."
And his son, Tony, 33, has lost his future on the farm too, he said.
Mr Partridge feels there will be a dramatic fall in customers without passing trade.
The habit today was for convenience shopping, and people were not going to come off their main route to shop for everyday items, he said.
About half of the 80-acre farm was bought by a compulsory purchase order about 18 months ago for the bypass scheme, which will run from Great Notley to Little Waltham.
Compensation was paid as part of the purchase order but Mr Partridge said there was now not enough land for crop rotation for potatoes and production had stopped.
It had made turkey production more difficult, because of disruption to staff. Turkeys will be sold from the farm for this Christmas.
Published Wednesday August 28, 2002
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