More detail given on work to prepare for the building of Melton’s partial bypass

We reported yesterday (Wednesday) that derelict buildings at Sysonby Farm were set to be demolished this week as part of the drive to clear land for the relief road, which will pass to the north and east of the town.

Leicestershire county councillors will meet next week to approve the implementation of the compulsory purchase orders for the land required for the scheme, with the orders having been confirmed by Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport.

Later in the year, archaeological mitigation will be carried out along sections of the 7.1km single carriageway for the North & East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (N&EMMDR).

During the same period, ecological work to relocate badgers will take place together with further preliminary work, such as creating access routes for construction vehicles and machinery and the setting-up of compounds.

County Hall say major construction work for the road will begin early next year, although it is all subject to a final business case being submitted by the county council and then government approval being given, which is expected by the end of the year.

The demolition of Sysonby Farm is being carried out by Galliford Try as part of the company’s early contractual involvement in the scheme.

This is to make way for a roundabout which will join the existing A606 Nottingham Road.

Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “This enabling work is a very early step in the road-building programme.

“Major construction work won’t start until early next year, but the road will bring a multitude of benefits to the Melton area through reducing congestion and helping to remove traffic from the town.”

The road will also accelerate the delivery of over 4,500 dwellings and create 6,000 jobs, new schools and infrastructure representing an investment in the town of around £160million.

The N&E MMDR scheme links the A606 Nottingham Road (at St Bartholomew’s Way) with the A606 Burton Road (north of Burton Lazars), and there will be new junctions at Scalford Road, Melton Spinney Road, A607 Melton Road and the B676 Saxby Road.

It crosses six watercourses, the River Eye flood plain and the Leicester to Peterborough railway line.

The county council has already committed over £4million to make the N&EMMDR scheme ‘shovel-ready’ so the advance work can start in earnest this year.

A major cash injection of £14.7million – through the Housing Infrastructure Fund – has also been awarded by the government to pave the way for the southern section of the distributor road to be built from the A606 Burton Road to the A607 Leicester Road.

This will follow on from the work on the north and east sections, with a planning application for the south link to be submitted in 2023.