A511 Growth Corridor Scheme

We have been making significant progress on the A511 Growth Corridor Scheme which will deliver improved journey times and reduced congestion along what is an important route.

As with all major projects, the scheme is complex and some elements can take longer to complete than initially anticipated – this can include new information coming to light through surveys, landowner negotiations and collaboration with key partners such as Network Rail.

A significant proportion of the scheme is to be funded by the national Major Road Network fund, and the change in Government last year led to some uncertainty around this. We now understand that this funding is still available and work is continuing on the scheme on that basis, with the council being fully committed to delivering the proposed improvements.  

Due to the increasingly difficult position of local authority funding, it is imperative that we deliver this scheme in the best and most cost-effective way. For this reason, we have taken some time to carefully consider how to procure a contractor to deliver the work and ensure best value for money. The tendering process is underway and we expect to award the contract this spring. 

There will then be a period when we work with the contractor to carefully coordinate construction activity to minimise disruption to road users and draw on the contractor’s practical construction experience to identify design efficiencies that could accelerate the construction process. This period is anticipated to last approximately 6-9 months, with construction commencing in early 2026. While this represents a delay in starting works on-site from the original programme, it is expected that through careful planning at this stage, any potential delays during the construction phase will be reduced.

The A511 MRN Public Inquiry was opened by the Inspector on Tuesday 11 June 2024 and closed on Tuesday 16 July 2024. The Inspector subsequently submitted a report, making a recommendation to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State announced in a decision dated 25 November 2024 that the proposed Compulsory Purchase Order and Side Roads Orders (including modifications) have now been confirmed. This is being advertised on site and in the local press dated 20 December 2024 with affected landowners being notified directly.

For further information see Confirmed Orders 

We have made a side roads order and compulsory purchase order to facilitate the delivery of the improvements along the A511 growth corridor. 

An application to alter the approved drainage design and landscape proposal for the proposed link road was approved. The revised plans include a smaller drainage pond and the provision of an informal flood storage area north of the railway embankment.

The associated documents can be viewed on the Planning Portal.

The above link will take you straight to planning reference 2023/VOCRMa/0055/LCC, after the initial agreement page. Please note that the deadline for comments was 28th July 2023.

Planning permission was granted for the construction of the proposed link road which will extend southwards from the A511 Bardon Road. 

The associated documents can be viewed on the Planning Portal.

The above link will take you straight to planning reference 2022/RegMa/0069/LCC, after the initial agreement page. Please note that the deadline for comments was 28th June 2022.

A planning application for the construction of link road extending southwards from the A511 Bardon Road was submitted in May 2022.

Details of the application can be viewed on the Planning Portal. 

The above link will take you straight to planning reference 2022/RegMa/0069/LCC, after the initial agreement page. The deadline for comments was 28 June 2022.

The Bardon Link Road public consultation closed on 31 October 2021. Results of the consultation are available on our You said, we did page.