Norwich bypass wins government and LEP funds

The bypass will run from the A47 junction at Postwick to the Fakenham road

Two thirds of the £30m increased cost of a planned bypass for Norwich has been secured by the county council.

On 11 August, Norfolk County Council revealed the cost of the Northern Distributor Road (NDR) had risen from the 2013 budget of £148m.

The cost of the road had gone up due to rising costs and design changes.

The government and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has agreed to fund most of the increase, leaving the council with £10m to find.

The council is to discuss the shortfall on 2 September

The NDR is planned to run from Postwick on the A47 and circumvent the east and north of the city, to connect with the A1067.

The project, which opponents say will not solve traffic problems but will "damage the quality of life" for local people, was granted development consent in June.

George Nobbs, the leader of the council, said: "This arrangement is far better than we could have hoped for just a few days ago.

"We will be asking the full Council to endorse these financial arrangements on 2 September."