Contract set to be awarded for North West Relief Road with planning decision due soon

The county council is also set to award a design and build contract to Balfour Beatty for the scheme, and will agree to compulsory purchase orders should the authority encounter any problems in purchasing the required land.

These next steps for the 1.6km bypass, which would link the A428 Harlestone Road with the A5199 Welford Road, are set to be agreed by the county council’s cabinet next week.

Although the scheme is a county council project, the authority itself will determine whether to grant planning permission, with councillors on the Development Control Committee expected to make a decision when it meets in July.

A section from the A428 to just south of the railway line has already been constructed as part of the Harlestone Manor development, while the remaining section would serve the 3,000-home Dallington Grange development between New Duston and Kingsthorpe.

The single-lane carriageway would include two new roundabouts, and a transport assessment for the relief road states that it is ‘necessary to enable and unlock the future development of 6,600 houses and more than 3,000 jobs in Northampton’. It also adds that it will help relieve pressure on the existing road in northern Northampton and nearby villages.

A number of residents and parish councils have objected to the scheme, which is expected to cost between £28 million to £35 million. They argue that it will clog up areas like Welford Road and Brampton Lane. But Northampton Borough Council has raised no objections, and is also putting in £2.5 million of funding.

When it meets next Tuesday (March 10), Conservative county councillors on the cabinet have been recommended to approve officers being delegated authority to purchase the required land, but also take further steps if necessary.

The report states: “Discussions have been taking place with the owners of the land required for the scheme, and it is hoped that agreement can be reached for a negotiated purchase. However, in case agreement cannot be reached, cabinet approval is sought for the commencement of Compulsory Purchase Order proceedings.”

It is also recommended to award a ‘design and build’ contract to Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering. This would involve two stages, with the first seeing the company design and prepare the construction contract, and should a price for construction be ‘acceptable’ then they would continue to build the road. Should the price be unacceptable, it would go out to tender.

The cabinet report says such a contract represents ‘a lower risk’ to the county council should planning permission be granted.