Financial pledge by Newark and Sherwood District Council to deliver southern relief road
Newark and Sherwood District Council has pledged to up its contribution to £5m in a bid to deliver the missing section of the southern relief road that will link the A46 to the A1 at Newark— and Nottinghamshire County Council has agreed to match it.
It was said by councillors that completing the road between the A46 at Farndon and the A1 at Fernwood had never been of higher priority, given that there is a cap linked to the project on the number of homes that can be built as part of the Middlebeck development south of Newark.
Due to the planning consent granted to the developers, a maximum of 600 of more than 3,000 houses can be built before the final stages of the road construction has to start.
However, amid spiralling costs since the planning permission was sought, the developer can no longer afford the cost of the road itself.
Only one section has been completed so far — between Bowbridge Road and Staple Lane.
The increase in contribution — £5,019,215, which is funded by existing resources — will be matched by Nottinghamshire County Council to help ensure the project can be completed.
The council was also boosted by the news that Homes England and developer Urban and Civic had agreed on a £39m intervention package.
At last week’s meeting of the district council’s policy and finance committee, director of planning and growth, Matthew Lamb, told councillors he expected the intervention package would close the gap in funding.
Mr Lamb said the package would help deliver a two-year programme for the project.
Six months of that would be design work at the A1 end of the road, where the roundabout is yet to be completed, which would then be followed be an 18-month building phase.
On completion, it would see planning consent granted for a further 2,300 homes.
Leader of the council David Lloyd said: “It is a very worthwhile investment to unlock the initial homes and then the A46 project further down the line, which will ease congestion issues around Newark.”
Without the road, Newark Town Council would miss out on the revenue homes would bring through council tax. Without it, it could find itself in deficit.
Without the homes, Newarkers could be in line for a huge council tax rise in 2029-30 of 7.5% in years to come.
The latest prediction is already for significantly fewer homes being built —5,295 down to 3,638.
The town council is reliant on new homes income because of a deal struck with the district council that saw some services — the market, parks and open spaces, play areas and public toilets — devolved from district to town.
However, that deal can be renegotiated.