News

Highways England releasing further funds for development

Highways England has announced it will contribute £19.9m from its Growth and Housing Fund towards road projects that will help housing and commercial develoments get planning approval by securing connections to the strategic road network. Two projects in Leicestershire and one in Hampshire totalling around £45m in value will receive contributions. The Hampshire project, an improvement of Junction 9 of the M27, will also receive funds from the £220m Congestion Relief Fund announced in the government's Autumn Statement for relieving congestion and improving road safety.

According to the HE, the three projects will help unlock more than 6,000 jobs and nearly 10,000 homes. The latest awards mean around £60m of the HE's £100m Growth and Housing Fund has now been allocated. The funding has so far been earmarked for 16 road improvements needed for new developments in Swindon, Exeter, Weston Super Mare, Darlington, Scunthorpe, Grantham, Warrington, Honiton, Derby, Foxdenton (Oldham), Taunton, Durham, Daventry, Leicester and Southampton.

The HE's chief executive, Jim O'Sullivan, said: "England’s strategic roads are vital for economic success, connecting businesses, people and supporting the government’s agenda of employment and growth. All of these improvements and future upcoming announcements will ultimately ensure England’s major roads continue to make a valuable contribution to the prosperity of our country."

The three schemes announced today are:

  • M27 junction 9 Whitley Way – £9.9 million Growth and Housing Fund / £3 million Highways England Congestion Relief Fund. This scheme is being delivered by Hampshire County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership under the terms of a grant funding agreement. It is the first scheme to be supported by this fund in the South East.
  • Anstey Lane (A46 / A560) – £5million Growth and Housing Fund / £2.8million private developers. This scheme will be delivered by Leicestershire County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership is Leicester and Leicestershire.
  • M1 junction 23 – £5 million Growth and Housing Fund / £10 million private funding / £3.2 million local growth fund. This scheme will be delivered by Leicestershire County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership is Leicester and Leicestershire.