West Winch Access Road receives funding confirmation from Department for Transport

The biggest housing scheme in West Norfolk has received a major boost after funding for a key access road was confirmed.

An outline business case for a new £109million road linking the A47 to the A10 has been approved by the Department for Transport, marking a major milestone in the West Winch Growth Project.

This will see around 4,000 homes built in the village in the coming years, with the first 1,100 of those currently awaiting approval.

Yesterday, an email from Rod Kelly, project manager at the county council for the West Winch Housing Access Road at Norfolk County Council, said: “I am writing to let you know that the Department for Transport (DfT) has approved our Outline Business Case (OBC) for West Winch Housing Access Road.

“This is great news that provides a funding commitment of £90.4million from central government, subject to statutory approvals and approval of a final Full Business Case, due to be submitted later this year.

“OBC approval also enables us to draw down some of that funding in advance of these processes being completed, to assist with the development costs.”

Cllr Alex Kemp, who represents the village on the county council, said: “I am glad that all our lobbying had paid off and that the Government has listened to this council's compelling Outline Business Case, which underlined the high accident rate on the A10 in West Winch, a route which will reach capacity by 2027.

“We look forward to the diversion of all the through traffic out of West Winch as soon as possible, with the bypass.

“The A10 has long been a blight on residents' lives, but will become a quiet village road, making active travel safe, with pedestrian crossings, and traffic calming.”