Council to buy land to allow major Nottinghamshire road upgrades

Artist's impression of the planned improvements at Ollerton roundabout

Nottinghamshire County Council is to buy 24 plots of land so it can carry out major upgrades to junctions on two roads.

The authority wants to acquire the land near five junctions on the A614 and A6097, earmarked for improvements.

The Conservative-run council said the work would boost the county's economy and transport links.

However the overall cost of the schemes has risen from £28.6m to £45.3m, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Planning permission has already been granted for the works but a county council report said they could not be delivered without ownership of the plots totalling 11.7 acres (4.7 hectares).

Some of the land will be used for new carriageways and bus routes and other parcels are temporarily needed to provide construction sites and access.

The junctions included in the scheme are:

• The A614 Ollerton roundabout,

• The White Post roundabout near Mansfield

• The A6097/A614 intersection at Warren Hill

• The A6097 roundabout at Lowdham

• The Kirk Hill junction in East Bridgford

The land purchases were approved by Keith Girling, the cabinet member for economic development and asset management, last week.

Mr Girling previously confirmed costs for the wider project had risen significantly, leading to a sixth junction - at Mickledale Lane, in Bilsthorpe - being withdrawn from the scheme.

He confirmed Mickledale Lane was still "strategically in need of improvement" but would be addressed through a separate future project.

He added: "Costs of construction projects have been steadily increasing.

"This is something we couldn't have attributed and we're not alone."