December 5, 2018 3.30 pm This story is over 72 months old

‘No excuses for Grantham inquiry c**k-up’

“No excuses”
Councillor Richard Davies, cabinet member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council. Picture: Calvin Robinson.

Lincolnshire County Council’s highways chief has said there are “no excuses” for the error which delayed a public inquiry into Grantham’s relief road.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, described the error as a “c**k-up”, but said progress had been made with objectors to the project.

Following objections from four public bodies, an inquiry into the county council project was announced by the Department for Transport

But, an “administrative error” which left no notices listed along the route led to the government delaying the opening of proceedings earlier this week.

An aerial view of the ongoing Grantham Southern Relief Road. Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

Advertisements for the inquiry have to be placed along the route no later than two weeks ahead of proceedings opening.

The government’s planning inspector, Martin Whitehead, said he could not open proceedings in Grantham due to the error.

Now, Councillor Davies has said in a statement on his website that three of the five objections to the scheme have now been removed.

“No excuses it was a c**k-up,” he said.

“However, the county council’s project team was able to get three of five objections removed – those from Network Rail, Grantham Motor Company and a member of the public.

“We also met with Western Power this morning, who have confirmed that they will be removing their objection to the scheme and are in the process of doing just that.

“As a result, we’re now in close contact with Zurich’s agents and have agreed, in principle, to a proposal that satisfies their requirements and could lead to also having their objection removed later this week.”

He added that he is “still confident” that the scheme will not be delayed and work on the relief road will continue in 2019.

The £81 million project will look to link the A52 at Somerby Hill to the A1.

A new date for the public inquiry in Grantham has not yet been set.

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