Spalding relief road route redrawing backed to save homes

Residents on Bourne Road who faced losing their homes, said they were "delighted to see common sense prevail"

Residents threatened with losing their homes to make way for a £39m Spalding relief road may get a reprieve after a revised route was backed.

A four-mile (6.5km) route through the town is planned by Lincolnshire County Council to "relieve congestion and improve journey times".

Nine properties on Bourne Road were due to be demolished under the first plan.

The highways scrutiny committee voted through the changes, but the council's executive will get the final say.

The amended route will cut through a nearby factory site at an additional cost of £2.24m.

'Common sense'

However, members of the committee said the extra money was a "drop in the ocean".

Bourne Road resident Catherine Roberts said she was "delighted to see common sense prevail".

She said residents could now relax and enjoy Christmas.

The new plans will go before the council's executive committee on 7 January

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.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Richard Davies, highways portfolio holder, said the revised plans made "quite a lot of sense".

The new plans will go before the council's executive committee on 7 January.

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