Norwich City Council is set to reaffirm its opposition to a controversial, major new road. The £274m Norwich Western Link (NWL), proposed by Norfolk County Council, would finish a bypass around the city by joining the A47 to the A1067 Fakenham Road.
The road has proved newsworthy with objections from government advisers Natural England and several environmental experts and groups, says the BBC.
The development of a Norwich Western Link, to connect the Broadland Northway, formerly known as the Northern Distributor Road (NDR), is one of Norfolk County Council’s top infrastructure priorities, and since construction began on Broadland Northway there have been sustained calls to fill in the ‘missing link’.
Conservative-run Norfolk County Council has said its plan is “well-considered and thorough”, but a report for members of the Labour-led city council cabinet recommends they continue to oppose the plan, as they did two years ago.
It argues there is not enough evidence it would be “a critical part of an environmentally progressive and deliverable transport strategy for the city”.
It said the road was unlikely to provide “considerable air quality and decongestion benefits in the city”, while there was a lack of proof the impact on wildlife and landscape could be mitigated.
Norfolk County Council has also been accused of downplaying the impact of the controversial Norwich Western Link on tens of thousands of trees by the ecologist whose research led to the designation of ancient woodland on the road’s route slammed the council’s surveys of trees.But the Council insists they were done to appropriate standards.
Drayton-based tree specialist John Allaway warned at least 25,000 trees would have to be chopped down to make way for the 3.9-mile road.
The report also takes aim at the county council over a decision to scrap a committee involving other authorities’ councillors, arguing that there is “no open public forum where decisions are made” on transport decisions affecting Norwich.
It recommends cabinet members submit their response to a consultation on the road, offering it no support, when they meet next week.
The consultation closed last month, but the report advises the city council’s comments will still be considered.
(Pic – Norfolk County Council)
