After three years of planning disputes, the regional council has voted 31–18 to proceed with the eastern bypass. Opponents say the route will destroy ancient woodland; supporters argue it will cut commute times by 40 per cent.
The vote, which came after a five-hour debate that stretched into the evening, was closer than the council leadership had anticipated. Three members of the ruling group voted against the scheme, and two more abstained — a significant rebellion that reflects the depth of feeling the bypass proposal has generated in the communities along its proposed route.
The eastern bypass, which would run for 8.4 miles through agricultural land and the edge of a designated ancient woodland, has been in planning since 2021. The scheme is intended to relieve congestion on the A-road that runs through the town centre, which carries approximately 28,000 vehicles per day and has been the subject of repeated safety concerns following a series of serious accidents.
Supporters of the scheme, including the council leader and the regional chamber of commerce, argue that the current road layout is a significant constraint on economic development and that the bypass is necessary to attract investment to the area. Traffic modelling commissioned by the council suggests that journey times on the existing route could be reduced by up to 40 per cent once the bypass is open.
The council leader, speaking after the vote, said the decision had been "difficult but necessary." She acknowledged the concerns of residents near the proposed route but said the council had a responsibility to consider the wider economic and safety benefits.
Opponents, organised under the Save Our Woodland campaign, have argued that the environmental cost of the scheme is unacceptable. The route passes within 200 metres of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and would require the felling of approximately 4,000 trees, some of which are estimated to be over 200 years old.
A spokesperson for the campaign said the group was considering a legal challenge and had instructed solicitors to review the planning decision. "This isn't over," she said. "The council has made a serious mistake, and we intend to hold them to account for it."