Long awaited plans to build a multi million pound bypass to ease congestion in the gridlocked village of Banwell are to take a step forward.
North Somerset Council is to meet next week to vote on whether to accept £97 million in funding from Homes England – the government’s housing agency - for the scheme.
The cash will be used not only for the new bypass - which could open in four years - but also improvements to the roads and paths around Banwell and to build a new 900 place secondary school.
The bypass and associated infrastructure will support the continuing development of thousands of new homes at the Weston Villages including Haywood Village and Parklands Village.
It will also support the development of future housing sites in the area as part of the council’s new local plan process, helping to meet the need for new homes across North Somerset over the next 15 years.
A bypass for Banwell has been a long held vision for decades.
The village’s narrow main road the A371 - often comes to a standstill and is gridlocked with traffic.
The level of traffic is expected to grow again in future years due to new housing developments in the area.
North Somerset Council executive member for transport Councillor James Tonkin said: “Given the current global situation it is fantastic we have been able to continue to progress work on bringing this critical infrastructure to North Somerset.
“The council vote on whether to accept the funding is a significant part of the process which brings us ever closer to the new road and school.
“We have already been working with communities in and around the Weston Villages and Banwell to develop these proposals. We will continue to consult as plans are developed.”
Detailed plans for the road are being drawn up using a route already included in the current Local Plan. The secondary school site is on land at the southern end of the new Parklands Village North South Link Road, within the Locking Parklands area.
Both projects will involve public consultation, which is currently planned for next year once early designs have been completed, and will be subject to planning permission.
The government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, administered by Homes England, is helping to deliver up to 300,000 new homes across England by providing local authorities with grant funding for new infrastructure.
The bypass and extra school places are expected to support around 7,500 new homes, more than half of which are due to be built as part of Weston Villages.
The remainder will be decided by the new Local Plan process. The infrastructure should be in place by 2024.
