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Norwich Western Link: Business case for bypass backed

BBC Protestors at Norfolk ShowgroundBBC
Protestors gathered at Norfolk Showground ahead of the first of two meetings about the Norwich western link road

The business case for a £198m "missing link" in Norwich's bypass has been approved, despite concerns about its environmental impact.

The Norwich western link road would extend Broadland northway - or NDR - by three miles, by joining the A1067 Fakenham Road to the A47.

Opponents argue it would damage the special environment of the Wensum Valley.

The cabinet backed the plan, with the full council approving it hours later.

Leader of the Conservative-controlled council, Andrew Proctor, said submitting the outline business case and appointing a contractor were needed to move the project forward.

Before the vote by full council - with 50 for, 20 against and one abstention - he accepted costs had "markedly increased" but said £170m in government funding was a "massive leverage" on the council's contribution of almost £30m.

'Benefit whole of Norfolk'

He told the meeting at the Norfolk Showground: "Do we want the county to have delays, bottle necks, rat running, inefficient fuel use due to stop/start traffic and higher carbon emissions from slow-moving vehicles, leading to poor air quality?

"If we stop this project, that's what we will get."

Norfolk County Council Route 6 has been chosen as the preferred routeNorfolk County Council
In 2019, the council backed route C as the final piece of the Broadland Northway

He said the "many concerns" were being addressed and "supporters far, far outweigh objectors".

Liberal Democrat leader Brian Watkins, who voted against the proposal, said the business case's claim that habitats would be left in a "measurably better state than before" was "incredulous".

"The idea that you can replace ancient woodland more than 200 years old with saplings is scarcely believable, and as for the wildlife - they will have nowhere to go."

Ben Price, the leader of the Green party, said: "The Wensum Valley is a finely balanced eco-system, this road will cause untold damage to that, maybe irreplaceable damage."

Both Green councillors present voted against, as did Labour's 11 councillors - with Labour councillor Emma Corlett describing it as "an environmentally and financially reckless project".

The existing 12-mile bypass, which joins the A1067 to the east of Norwich, cost about £205m.

Together with the A47 dualling between North Tuddenham and Easton, due to get under way in early 2022, the western link would create a full dual carriageway around Norwich.