[E]den District Council has been awarded £250,000 by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as part of a successful Planning Delivery Plan Bid to support joint research with other agencies into the feasibility of a strategic by-pass for Penrith, this road would connect the A66 with Junction 41 of the M6 to ease traffic congestion.
Eden District Council’s Leader, Councillor Kevin Beaty said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Council has been awarded central government funding to help us working jointly with Highways England, Homes England, Transport for the North and the County Council to research the feasibility of this important strategic by-pass for Penrith, which was outlined in the Eden Vision 2050 document.
“The construction of a strategic by-pass Penrith linking the A66 with Junction 41 of the M6, would avoid the traffic congestion around the A6 Kemply Bank junction and M6 Junction 40. It would improve traffic movement, including journey times for logistics between Scotland and the East and South East of England. Creation of this new road could unlock land to deliver 10,000 new homes and 500 acres of employment land, along with land for recreation and strategic water holding facilities – to potentially reduce the impact of flooding on residential communities in Cumbria.”
The central government funding will be used to:
- Evaluate the geography and geology of the land where the by-pass and road junctions can go.
- Undertake assessments of environmental and ecology considerations to facilitate solutions to where residential and employment development can take place.
- Verify locations for water storage areas to manage flood water and also provide options for water storage at other times for use for recreation and other purposes.
Eden District Council’s Development Portfolio Holder, Councillor John Owen MBE, said: “We can use the findings brought forward from this joint agency working to underline and support the aims and objectives of the Penrith Masterplan which we have recently commissioned consultants LUC to produce. It is the Council’s intention that the Masterplan will eventually be adopted as a supplementary planning document to influence the future development of the District.
For more information about Eden District Council visit www.eden.gov.uk or call 01768 817817.
