Plans to dual sections of the A47 to be heard next month
The meeting comes seven years after it was initially proposed.
Plans to dual sections of the A47 will be heard at meetings next month, seven years after it was first proposed.
Highways England (HE) is improving the A47 in six places between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth as part of a £300m project, including the sections between North Tuddenham and Easton, and Blofield and North Burlingham.
Highways England (HE) is seeking a development consent order (DCO) – planning permission for nationally significant projects, like road building.
As part of the DCO process, HE will be holding open floor hearings before recommendations go onto the planning inspectorate and secretary of state.
In 2014, then prime minister David Cameron announced £300m would be spent on dual sections of the road.
The slow pace of getting work started led to Norfolk County Council criticism of Highways England, with County Hall leader Andrew Proctor last year branding the agency “inept”.
What’s in the North Tuddenham to Easton plan?
Included in the plans are 9km of new dual carriageway between Hockering and Hingham, two new junctions at the Wood Lane/Berry’s Lane and Norwich Road/Blind Lane junctions, alongside the removal of the Easton roundabout.
There are also plans for an underpass for traffic and pedestrians at Mattishall Lane, replacing the Church Lane underpass and link road and a walking and cycling route from Honingham to St Andrew’s Church.
The preferred option for upgrading this stretch was announced in August 2017, and a statutory consultation was held last year, attracting nearly 700 responses.
When are the North Tuddenham plans to be heard?
A virtual open floor hearing will be held on Thursday, August 12, from 5.30pm.
The application documents can be viewed at Costessey library, Dereham Library, or the Norfolk and Norwich Millenium Library in Norwich, or online here.
What’s in the Blofield to North Burlingham plan?
Replacing the existing single-lane section with a new 2.6km dual carriageway, 70m south of the existing road.
Highways England says safety improvements will also be made to the Yarmouth Road junction, closing the right turn and adding a dedicated lane to join the A47.
A new bridge will also be added over the new dual carriageway to connect Blofield and North Burlingham villages and take traffic from Blofield toward Great Yarmouth.
When can the Blofield to North Burlingham plan be heard?
Virtual hearings will be held at 9.30am and 5.30pm on August 16.
Two compulsory acquisition hearings will be held on August 18 at 9.30am and 1.30pm.
Issue-specific hearings will be held on Tuesday, August 17, at 9.30am and Thursday, August 19 at 9.30am.
Application documents can be viewed at Lingwood Village Hall, Brundall Library, Blofield Library and Acler Library.
They can also be found online here.