January 3, 2018 4.44 pm This story is over 74 months old

Green light for next stage of Grantham Southern Relief Road

Senior Lincolnshire county councillors have given officers the green light to move forward with the next stage of the £81 million Grantham Southern Relief Road. The county council’s executive authorised officers to purchase land and make legal orders at a meeting on Wednesday, January 3. The 3.5km road is being built in three phases and…
An aerial view of the ongoing Grantham Southern Relief Road. Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

Senior Lincolnshire county councillors have given officers the green light to move forward with the next stage of the £81 million Grantham Southern Relief Road.

The county council’s executive authorised officers to purchase land and make legal orders at a meeting on Wednesday, January 3.

The 3.5km road is being built in three phases and will eventually link the A52 at Somerby Hill to the A1.

Phase one of the relief road was completed in August 2016 and saw the creation of a roundabout off the B1174 and a road along Tollemache Road that leads to a second new roundabout.

Preparatory works for phase two, which will join the B1174 to the A1, have started, including hedge clearance and ground surveys.

Archaeological investigations now starting on the western side of the A1.

Phase two is expected to take 18 months once construction work officially begins.

Initial archaeological investigations have already been completed for phase three, which will link the A52 at Somerby Hill to the new roundabout off the B1174, crossing the Witham Valley, the East Coast railway line and the River Witham by means of a viaduct/bridge to be constructed.

The project is being led by Lincolnshire County Council and supported by South Kesteven District Council, Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Homes and Communities Agency and local businesses.

County Councillor Richard Davies is in charge of highways and transportation at Lincolnshire County Council. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Councillor Richard Davies, responsible for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The new road will dramatically improve things in Grantham, both in terms of getting about and the town’s economic future.

“There’s an enormous about of legal paperwork to get through with a road of this size, which can be frustrating at times, but things are moving forward.

“In the meantime, we’re doing everything we can to ensure we can hit the ground running on phase two as soon as everything is in place. And I’ll be pushing to get the new road opened by the end of 2019.”