Groundwork begins on Sizewell C two-village bypass

Initial work on a two-village bypass has begun as part of wider plans for a new nuclear power plant.

The new road, around Farnham and Stratford St Andrew in Suffolk, is aimed at reducing the impact of construction traffic to and from Sizewell C.

Bosses said contractors had cleared topsoil off the Tinker Brook area in Stratford St Andrew and archaeological work was under way.

Road construction is expected to start by next summer and is due to be finished by the end of 2026.

Building permission for the Sizewell C power plant has already been granted but a final investment decision is unlikely to be agreed until 2025.

Construction could take about 12 years.

In 2020, estimates suggested a single carriageway bypass would cost more than £30m.

Site delivery director Damian Leydon described the bypass as a big, permanent benefit of the power station project on the local area.

He said: "Once Sizewell C is built and operational, the road will stay and continue to reduce traffic around those villages, with new roundabouts installed at two key points of the A12 that will make the current road safer.

Mark Conibeer, who lives close to the A12's Farnham bend, said: "We need the infrastructure and we need the power and I would like them to get the work done to build the bypass and then we can develop our village rather nicely."

Farnham resident Shelia Degrove said: "We've been waiting for a bypass for such a long time and it's wonderful that work is now starting."

Work to build site accesses at Friday Street for one of two new roundabouts is due to begin in January.

Mr Leydon added: "There will be some traffic impacts as we carry out the work from next year, but we’re doing as much of the work as possible away from the existing roads to limit the impact on road users."

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.