Cheshire East progresses £90m link road
The council’s planning committee is set to approve the construction of the 5.7km Congleton link road, which it described as “the single largest infrastructure project the council has undertaken to date”.
The road would link the A534 Sandbach Road to the west of Congleton, with the A536 Macclesfield Road to the north of the town. The project is central to Cheshire East Council’s emerging local plan, and is designed to reduce congestion and air pollution in the town, open up new employment opportunities and make life better for the town’s residents and motorists.
The planning application for the road is due to be considered by Cheshire East’s planning committee later today, and yesterday the Cabinet approved the use of compulsory purchase powers to deliver the project should it be signed-off.
According to a report submitted to the council, the project is the largest scheme the council has ever proposed, and is part of a £135m investment into road infrastructure planned in the next few years, alongside the Poynton Relief Road, Sydney Road Bridge and improvements to Crewe Green roundabout.
The scheme has provisionally been awarded £45m from the Government’s Growth Deal, and the council has contributed £5.6m. The report identifies a £40m funding gap, which the council has estimated it could bridge with around £23m of contributions from developers of unlocked land nearby.