Road work due to start for 7,000-home development

If approved, the new town would be on land east of Colchester between the A120 and B1028

Work is due to start soon on a link road in preparation for a proposed new Essex town planned with more than 7,000 homes.

The Tendring and Colchester Borders Garden Community is planned for land east of Colchester between the A120 and B1028, and also includes thousands of student accommodation rooms, a large hotel, and schools.

The new road - the A1331 - will eventually link the A120 and A133.

Essex County Council has appointed contractor Octavius Infrastructure to work on the first phase of the new road.

Works on the initial phase will see the creation of a new roundabout on the A133 before Octavius starts constructing the new road.

The works are expected to take about 20 months and are said to have been designed to reduce local disruption and minimise environmental impacts, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A further phase of the A1331 will connect to the A120, to the east of Ardleigh South Services.

David King, the Liberal Democrat leader of Colchester City Council, said: "It’s great to see progress on the A1331 link road.

"This will improve access, help manage traffic congestion on local roads, and help enable delivery of the new garden community."