Newark and Sherwood District Council, in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council and Urban&Civic, has been successful in their bid for a £20 million investment, into the Southern Link Road (SLR), from the central Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF). This is one of just 17 successful bids out of 84 UK-wide authorities that submitted, and the only successful bid from a Nottinghamshire district.
With £4.8 billion being invested into the UK’s high value local infrastructure, the LUF aims to support investment in places where it can make the biggest difference to everyday life, and support local areas in selecting genuine local priorities.
The £20 million investment will go toward completing the SLR, which will form the missing link of Newark’s outer loop road by connecting the A46 at Farndon to the A1 at Balderton. The site master developer, Urban&Civic (U&C) has already commenced the first phase of the development. This funding will allow the remaining delivery of Middlebeck, one of the Strategic Urban Extension (SUE) sites around Newark.
Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Our bid was built on solid proposals that will support our vision for Newark’s future, improving both transport and the growth of our district.”
The first stages of the development of the SLR are complete and have already provided 600 homes, a brand new primary school and open space in the community. This investment will unlock a further 2,651 homes, two-million square foot of employment space, local centres, a care home, a new country park, and new sports and recreation facilities including pedestrian and cycleways.
Urban&Civic, NSDC, and NCC are now working at pace to ensure that works can start as soon as possible. It is hoped that a contract will be let to build all of the remaining SLR next year, with the road being open no later than Spring 2023.
Mike van den Berg, Senior Development Manager at Urban&Civic, added: “We are delighted that our work with NSDC and NCC to secure the funding has been successful. The SLR is a vital piece of infrastructure to support local economic growth, jobs and provide more homes. Our new community will also be thrilled with the news with many of them choosing to buy a home at Middlebeck to benefit from both its access to green spaces and the connectivity offered through the SLR.”
To find out more about the Levelling Up Fund go to: www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-fund-prospectus
