Melton bypass moves ahead after funding deal signed

A dispute which threatened to derail a long-awaited bypass has been resolved, the councils involved have said.

Leicestershire county and Melton borough councils had been at loggerheads over financial guarantees for the £37.5m Melton project.

This had put more than £15m of government funding at risk.

But an agreement has now been signed with Homes England which allows the scheme to move forward with buying land and planning permission.

Officially known as the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road - MMDR - the bypass has been discussed for decades.

The county council will be funding the bulk of the initial costs but expects to recoup much of that from developers along the route.

But before signing the funding deal with Homes England, it wanted to reach agreements with the relevant planning authority along much of the route - Melton Borough Council.

In June, the county council said the government cash could be rejected if the borough council did not offer suitable guarantees.

County council deputy leader Deborah Taylor said: "This is good news and I'm pleased we've been able to get this over the line.

"There's still some way to go but if successfully delivered, the new roadway is expected to ease traffic congestion in Melton and unlock the construction of significant amounts of new homes."

Joe Orson, leader of the borough council, said: "We know this has been such an important issue for our community, and given the financial risks involved, it has not been easy, but I am so proud of the way we have all worked together to ensure this could proceed.

"This has the potential to unlock up to £160m of investment in Melton, alongside thousands of new homes and jobs for our communities."

The borough council has also agreed to contribute up to £1.75m towards additional education costs.

A council spokesman said while government funding had been secured, the project to construct the southern leg is at a relatively early stage.

It is hoped that the road will be constructed by 2025.

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