The Government has approved funding for the Long Stratton Bypass in Norfolk.

Approval of the Norfolk County Council's Outline Business Case, submitted in January, has now been received from The Department for Transport along with a funding commitment of £26.2 million towards the cost of the building the new road, which will cut congestion and support the local economy for years to come.

The council is working in collaboration with developer Norfolk Homes Ltd/Norfolk Land Ltd to bring forward the proposals for the long-awaited bypass, which will feed into a revised planning application expected to shortly be submitted to South Norfolk Council by the developer. As part of the planning process, South Norfolk Council will then complete a consultation on the planning application details.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: "This new scheme will provide a huge boost to Long Stratton and Norfolk by ensuring faster, smoother journeys, cutting congestion and noise pollution, and allowing the construction of 1,800 new homes in the area.

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"This Government is dedicated to levelling up across the country and we will continue to support regional economies by investing in vital local transport projects like this one."

Cllr Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport and member of Transport East said: "This is fantastic news and a most timely announcement from government, particularly in view of the Covid-19 recovery. The A140 through Long Stratton is a real pinch point that affects thousands of road users, and the people who live and work in Long Stratton, on a daily basis. We want to deliver this vital scheme as soon as possible to cut congestion, help the local economy and vastly improve this major regionally important route linking Norwich and Ipswich. The bypass is set to create hundreds of new jobs and homes, open up improvements for cycling and walking, and solve traffic and transport issues local people have been facing for more than a generation."

The proposed new A140 bypass will be a single carriageway road that will provide a new junction at Church Lane to the north, extending from this junction on the east side of Long Stratton in a southerly direction for approximately 3.9km, where it will re-join the existing A140 just south of Oakside farm.

Subject to receiving all of the necessary statutory approvals, including planning permission, the target date for work to start on construction is mid-2023, with the road open to traffic before the end of 2024.