Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) has been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) development approval process.
The proposed new road, costing an estimated £148.55m, runs from the A47 at Postwick to the A1067 Fakenham Road. The development consent application, which can be viewed on Norfolk County Council’s website, was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate a month ago. It has now been accepted, allowing the formal examination process to begin. This will include a preliminary meeting of interested parties to set the timetable, followed by examination through written submissions and public hearings. This stage has to be complete within six months, and a recommendation to the Secretary of State must be issued within three months. The Secretary of State then has three months to issue a decision. (For further details, follow the Further Information link below.)
Norfolk County Council Leader George Nobbs welcomed the Planning Inspectorate’s decision: “If we are to have the sort of economic success that Norfolk people expect and our county deserves, then projects like this are absolutely essential. I am glad the NDR has cleared another hurdle and this now gives everybody a chance to state their views before a final decision is made.”
Broadland District Council Leader Andrew Proctor, said: “This is one more step towards the Northern Distributor Road becoming a reality. We welcome the recognition that this road is important in opening up the area for economic growth.”
David Harrison, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Development & Waste, added: “I am glad that the NDR has been accepted into the NSIP development approval process. This will ensure that the proposals come under entirely independent scrutiny, and provide opportunities for the full range of opinion to be heard. “In my opinion, the NDR is vital to the future prosperity of a large part of Norfolk and Norwich, and to ensure that the city and surrounds benefits a travel and transport system fit for the 21st century, and I know that many people and businesses share this view. On the other hand there are people opposed to the new road, or who would like to see changes, and they can be sure that the points they make are given fair consideration.”
The development consent application is for the whole of the Northern Distributor Road, from the A47 at Postwick to the A1067 Norwich to Fakenham Road. However, the £19m Postwick junction improvement has already been approved as a stand-alone scheme that will unlock business and housing development in the area. Subject to no legal challenge, work on the junction improvement will begin in the Spring. As well as bringing strong economic benefits, the improved Postwick junction will provide a suitable connection to the A47 for the NDR.
Although the go-ahead for the rest of the NDR depends upon Development Consent being granted, the road has already been declared a nationally signficant project and allocated £86.5m by the Government. This funding is to support its construction from the A47 at Postwick (including the Postwick junction) to the A140 at Norwich Airport. The County Council has made a commitment to deliver the section of the NDR from the A140 to the A1067 Fakenham Road. The current proposal does not include a western connection from the A1067 to the A47 west of Norwich.
The NDR is designed to bring much needed traffic relief for communities to the north and east of Norwich and the city centre, and deliver rapid and sustained economic benefits for Norwich and a large part of Broadland and North Norfolk. For existing businesses, the benefits of easy and reliable access to the national trunk road network and the Airport are considerable. The road unlocks the potential for new businesses and jobs.
The NDR is also a vital element in the Norwich Area Transport Strategy, allowing the development of a modern, sustainable transport system for the city and surrounds, and key infrastructure to cope with growth set out in the Greater Norwich Joint Core Strategy.
