£55 million Blyth Relief Road given green light by council planners
Blyth looks set to finally see its long-awaited relief road constructed after planning permission was granted.
The £55 million scheme will see major changes to some of the town’s major roads in a bid to ease congestion.
The multi-million pound project will see the construction of a new dual carriageway at the western end of the A1061.
The 1.3km stretch will connect the A192 Three Horseshoes junction and the existing A1061 Portland Wynd roundabout.
Road widening of the existing single carriageway to dual carriageway will also be carried along the length of the A1061. In addition, a new single carriageway link between Chase Farm Drive and Ogle Drive will be constructed.
Despite the significant investment and long-held need for a relief road, the scheme received 132 objections from local residents.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the council’s strategic planning committee, two objectors urged councillors to refuse permission.
Steve Sharp said: “This will be a multi-million pound waste of money that has minimal benefit. Train travel and home working has reduced traffic problems.”
Professor Martin Barwood added: “We are directly affected by the dualling of the A1061. We support the need for investment in Blyth, but we object because there is insufficiently robust evidence to justify the cost of the project.
“The council’s modelling is from 2023 and is out of date. The data doesn’t include the opening of the Northumberland Line – it overestimates the extent of the problem.”
Despite the Conservative-led administration’s consistent and public backing of the scheme, some members were reluctant to back the plan.
Labour’s Coun Caroline Ball was concerned the current proposals would not go far enough.
She said: “I think without the benefit of a bigger scheme, I don’t think it is workable. I have spent days of my life stuck on Cowpen Road trying to get to the town centre.
“I think there has got to be a better way than this. I don’t think it is going to solve the problem and I think it will cause more issues.
“Without the wider scheme, I worry that we do three quarters of what is needed. There’s still problems at either end.
“We’re not going to get a second bite at the cherry for funding for this. Go big or go home – I don’t think this is the right scheme.”
Independent councillor Georgina Hill was similarly concerned. She said: “I’m really struggling with this one.
“I’m not convinced by the arguments. I have a hunch that in a few years it will be seen as a waste of money.”
And Tory councillor John Beynon added: “I can’t believe the road is going to be that close to houses when there are fields on the other sides. You are going to destroy people’s lives by putting the road that close.
“I know we’re under pressure because if we don’t take it we will lose the money – but I’m still undecided. It just doesn’t feel right to me.”
The Government is providing around £50 million of the overall cost, with the council itself putting forward £4.3 million.
The council’s head of planning, Liz Sinnamon, warned members that Government funding would likely be lost if the scheme was refused or deferred.
She said: “Everything is telling you that this will alleviate the congestion coming into Blyth. We’re saying it will work – there is nothing to tell us that it won’t other than speculation on your part.
“The planning committee must make an evidence-based choice. This is your opportunity to make a real difference to alleviate the traffic in Blyth.
“During construction, it can be challenging but when the relief road is up and running, nobody regrets it when they can bring great benefits for towns – that is what is forecast for Blyth.”
The scheme was approved by seven votes to two, with one abstention.
Earlier in the day, the council’s cabinet authorised the making of a compulsory purchase order and a side roads order for the scheme. The CPO will ensure that land required for the scheme can be obtained should the council fail to reach a negotiated settlement for the purchase, while the SRO will authorise the necessary alterations to the existing highway network.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth said: “Traffic in Blyth can be terrible sometimes, but we have been pushing this project for a good period of time.
“The last bit of the jigsaw is the funding. We’ve already voted through our portion of the funding and we’re hopeful the Government will be providing the remainder.
“We have a letter to confirm that a decision will be made in the summer. We will be putting on all the usual pressure.
Council leader Glen Sanderson added: “Anyone who has tried to get into Blyth at certain times of the day knows it is absolutely awful. This is a hugely important project that we have moved forward with urgency and commitment.”