January 2, 2020 4.45 pm This story is over 50 months old

Final decision expected on controversial Spalding Relief Road route

Councillors have recommended an alternative
Visuals for the road design.

Senior Lincolnshire county councillors will give the final sign off on a controversial route for the £100 million Spalding Western Relief Road next week.

The road was originally planned to pass through Bourne Road in the town which would have seen nine homes demolished.

But, councillors on the authority’s highways scrutiny panel voted to unanimously to recommend a change to the route last month.

Councillors on the council’s executive will make a final decision on the road at a meeting on January 7.

Happy campaigners celebrated a Christmas present of relief after the meeting which saw councillors recommend an alternative route for the Spalding Relief Road. Photo: Daniel Jaines

Homeowners on Bourne Road said they were “shell shocked” at the news when the authority confirmed its preferred route back in October.

At a meeting last month, Catherine Roberts fought back tears as she petitioned councillors to consider the impact on the lives of nine families, calling the move “immoral and inhumane”.

Mrs Roberts, who lives with her husband Frank in their mock Tudor Home, said the couple had spent £300,000 to build the house 20 years ago and had been through the “summer of hell” this year.

The route recommended by Lincolnshire County Council for the central section of the Spalding Relief Road.

Scrutiny councillors voted at the meeting to recommend an alternative route for the multi-million highway project.

The recommendation would see the route pass through the nearby Trojan Woods at an additional cost of £2.24 million.

The original plan was expected to cost £40,751,296.

But, councillors said the extra sum difference was a “drop in the ocean” and expressed sympathy with residents.

Senior councillors will consider the alternative route next week.

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