CPOs approved for Weymouth Relief Road
- Published: 26 September 2008 14:35
- Author: Andrea Klettner
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 26 September 2008 15:15
The Government has given the go-ahead for the compulsory purchase of 138 hectares to build the Weymouth Relief Road.
Dorset County Council can buy the land after the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government approved compulsory purchase orders following a public inquiry which ended in March.
Skanska won the contract to build the £40 million under an early contractor involvement deal.
Dorset County Council leader Angus Campbell said: "Our final business case for the new road has been submitted to the Department for Transport and, if approved, work could start on constructing the road this winter."
The orders cover the 138 hectares needed for the new road between Weymouth and Dorchester, including designated land for nature conservation.
Archaeologists will be starting advance investigations on the Ridgeway at the beginning of October.
An area of 50,000 sq m will be excavated to ensure that anything of historical importance is recovered and recorded.
Subject to Department for Transport approval of the business case, contractors Skanska plan to start the large earthworks operation in Spring 2009.
