£217 million to build new railway station in Essex could be released this week
14,000 homes will also be built as part of the project
Essex's new train station at Beaulieu should move a step forward this week, with £217 million set to be released.
The county council need to approve the funding for Beaulieu Station and the Chelmsford North-East bypass.
It is being recommended that Essex County Council’s Cabinet approve two major Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) projects in north Essex at Tuesday’s meeting.
The council announced it had been successful in securing funding from the HIF in 2019.
It needs formal approval in order to enter into an official agreement with Homes England to secure the release of the funds.
In total, 14,109 new homes will be built through the projects.
By securing the funding, the council has said it has delivered an 'Infrastructure First' approach to allow existing residents to see benefits as early as possible.
Both projects have received backing from local MPs for the area, including Vicky Ford, MP for Chelmsford, John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon, Kemi Badenoch, MP for Saffron Walden, Will Quince, MP for Colchester, Priti Patel, MP for Witham, and Giles Watling, MP for Clacton.
Essex County Council has also secured £99m to support a new Link Road and Rapid Transport System to the east of Colchester.
Councillor David Finch, leader of Essex County Council, said:
"We have always been bold in our ambitions to enable sustainable growth in Essex and these projects will help to ensure there is vital infrastructure in place in the north of the county to support the rapid housing and population growth we are seeing there.
"We are eager to move forward with both, recognising the significant difference they will make to the lives of thousands of households.
"I would like to thank our local MPs and everyone involved for their support in getting us to this stage."
Meanwhile Sophie White, Homes England’s director of infrastructure grants, said:
"We are committed to working with ambitious local authority partners seeking to meet their local housing needs through delivery of key infrastructure.
"Our multi-million pound funding will secure delivery of the new Beulieu Station and North East Chelmsford Bypass, unlocking over 14,000 new sustainable homes as part of the local plans for communities in Chelmsford and Braintree.
"We’re delighted that this investment will also help Essex County Council to invest in sustainable forms of transport, boosting the local economy and supporting jobs in the area."
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