Cheshire East Council has selected contractor Graham to deliver the £90m Congleton Link Road, a 5.5km highway running between the A534 to the west of the town to the A536 to the north
The 5.5km road will unlock key sites for housing and employment and provide an economic boost to Congleton, relieving traffic congestion in the town centre and improving east-west connectivity.
The Jacobs designed single carriageway road will run to the north of Congleton between the A534 Sandbach Road in the west and the A536 Macclesfield Road in the north east.
The proposals have been through a public enquiry since May last year, and the council received a number of fixed-price tenders since the project was first advertised in February this year.
Following the approval of CPO powers and the appointment of Graham as the main contractor, a full business case will be submitted to the Department for Transport for funding.
Subject to approval, construction could start in November with the road open to traffic by late 2020.
The scheme is supported by £45m of Growth Fund money, £23m from developers, and £22m from the council.
Two road bridge crossings and two underpasses will be built as part of the scheme, which the council said would feature “comprehensive mitigation and conservation measures to protect great crested newts, bats, other wildlife and ancient woodland.”
Councillor Don Stockton, cabinet member for environment at Cheshire East, said: “The Congleton Link Road represents another major highways scheme in the ongoing programme of infrastructure development across the borough. This will help to unlock and support further economic growth, new investment and jobs and business opportunities for the area.”
Leo Martin, managing director of Graham’s civil engineering arm, said: “This strategically important scheme will bring long-term benefits to the Congleton community.
“This is a real coup for us and we are relishing the prospect of working with Cheshire East Council on this important project that will bring economic and social regeneration to the town and the Congleton area.
“We appreciate that traffic has been a considerable challenge in the town and the link road will serve to vastly reduce congestion.”
