Landslip road rebuild expected to start this summer

Wiltshire Council has been investigating the best way forward for the road

Work to rebuild a road destroyed in a major landslip is expected to start this summer and finish in spring 2025.

The B4069 Lyneham Banks, in Wiltshire, has been closed since the incident in February 2022, which broke up the road and moved it 25m downhill.

Wiltshire Council has been deciding which contractor will do the work, expected to cost around £5m.

It has been investigating the best way to fix it to prevent it from happening again and decided on a retaining wall, with ground anchors and special drainage systems.

To assess what needed to be done, Wiltshire Council had to drill 31 boreholes, 21 trial pits and monitor water levels and ground movement.

The analysis revealed the landslip was probably triggered by a combination of factors, including historic weaknesses, increased groundwater flows, and additional loading due to nearby development.

Councillor Nick Holder - Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for highways - said: “We know that this landslide and road closure has had a significant impact on the local community, and we are committed to repairing it as quickly as we can.

“However, it’s also essential that we get this right, both to prevent another potential landslip and also to ensure the repairs are completed within budget and in a way that is as environmentally friendly as possible" he added.