Spalding relief road plan could see homes demolished

The Spalding Western Relief Road scheme would cost £39m, Lincolnshire County Council says

A £39m plan for a relief road in Spalding would involve five homes being demolished, a council has said.

Lincolnshire County Council wants to build a new four-mile (6.5km) route through the town to "relieve congestion and improve journey times".

It has suggested this would go through Horseshoe Road, close to four other properties, and Bourne Road where homes would have to be knocked down.

Campaigners oppose the proposed Spalding Western Relief Road (SWRR).

Under the proposals, the new route in the west of the town would link Spalding Common in the south to Spalding Road and Pinchbeck Road in the north.

The proposed route for the Spalding Western Relief Road (SWRR)

The authority said: "If this route is taken forward, it would cross Bourne Road where five properties are currently located and would be built in close proximity to four others."

Councillor Richard Davies said it was "only an officer recommendation at this stage" and the authority had contacted affected residents with the "difficult news".

"I know that identifying a recommended route hasn't been an easy process and that officers have worked hard to technically assess the options," he said.

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He said the council would continue to stay in contact with those affected "as things progress towards a final decision".

A decision on the route is due to be made at a council meeting on 7 January.

Mr Davies assured those affected that "it could potentially be a decade or more before we start building this section of the relief road".

Earlier in the year, campaigners staged protests against the scheme and a review was subsequently ordered into the planned road, with the authority outlining eight options.