March 2026
The drier weather has allowed us to progress, including excavation works at Jetty Marsh opposite the hospital where the new marsh area will be created. The ground is being reduced by five metres overall, and six metres where new ponds will be. The embankment is being built up in preparation for the new link road, which will be constructed after the settlement period.
Culvert One has been installed using a 50-tonne machine to lift the sections into place. Each section weighs 10 tonnes and culvert one is made up of 17 sections. The culverts stand over 2 metres high and 3 metres wide. The embankment fill has so far reached 3 metres and now the culvert is in place it can be raised to the five metres, covering the culvert.
Headwalls for the culverts will be built up using sustainable Flex MSE bags which are a durable, low-carbon alternative to concrete. Each permeable bag is filled with sand and organic materials, allowing water and plant roots to pass through while securely holding the contents in place. They are installed in an interlocking pattern using a fixing plate, much like constructing a wall, but with the added advantage of flexibility where needed. Once installation is complete and landscaping begins, the bags will be hydroseeded so they form a living wall that blends naturally into the surrounding environment along the embankment.
Drainage works at Exeter Road have been completed, allowing the team to install the kerbs and timber edging for the new pavement and road layout. Surfacing will follow once drainage conditions allow.
Vegetation clearance at Forches Cross has progressed, with the shared-use path near Plants Galore awaiting white lining.
The rain garden being installed at Whitehills Road will capture runoff water from the road and from what will be the new cycle path, diverting it into new planted areas. A rain garden is a shallow ditch which captures surface water and absorbs it into the ground to reduce localised flooding. It is used as an alternative to conventional drainage systems due to its sustainability. The use of native plants helps filter out any pollutants from the water and supports local wildlife.
Coming up:
- Embankment fill still to be continued at Jetty Marsh.
- Sign installation for new road layout.
- Culvert Two being installed.
- Temporary traffic lights are still being used in targeted locations between Hunters Moon and Forches Cross over the next few months.
The proposed roundabout at Clay Lane/Clay Pits Road is still under formal review, and any works would only be scheduled if approval is granted. If approved, it would be installed for around two days as a temporary measure during the A382 closure to ease traffic, with a 30mph speed limit applied and then removed once the roundabout is taken out.
February 2026
Progress continues despite heavy rain, with basal reinforcement, culvert preparation, and gabion basket foundations now underway at Jetty Marsh. Additional drainage has been installed on Exeter Road to manage unexpectedly high groundwater flows.
Preparations underway at Forches Cross continue to maintain access until the planned road closure in summer 2026, once the new Whitehills roundabout opens. Vegetation clearance and trial holes are progressing ahead of bird‑nesting season.
Works coming up:
- Shared use path by Plants Galore will be constructed.
- One of the culverts at Jetty Marsh will be installed.
- Pavilion car park by the sports fields at Forches Cross is having improvements to the layout and a new entrance built.
- Rain garden to be constructed over at Whitehills Road.
- Temporary traffic lights are still being used in targeted locations between Hunters Moon and Forches Cross over the next few months. Allowing as much work to be completed as possible prior to Forches Cross being closed.
Below is 3D imagery of the new link road on the embankment from West Golds Way; the height keeps the road above past and anticipated flood levels:
January 2026
Preparations are underway at Forches Cross in conjunction with the ongoing works at Jetty Marsh. Progress has been made on the new roundabout with kerbing starting to be installed. BT have put in place new chambers on Exeter Road and the wall alongside is being rebuilt, the road and footway are being prepared for resurfacing next month.
The drone image below shows the foundation in place to tie the new link road into the A382. The raised area in between is where South West Water will be diverting one of the water mains; they are currently working in another area. Once this is completed, this section of road will join up with the new roundabout. North to Drumbridges the blue line shows the existing water main, the yellow line shows where new diverted main will be positioned.
At Forches Cross trial holes are being dug to confirm connection points for service diversions. Using a vacuum excavator, it uses high-pressure air or water to break up the ground which is then sucked up by a powerful vacuum system. This method is the safest way to expose buried services without damaging them.
Works coming up:
- Vegetation clearance to areas that were not previously accessible.
- Fibre optic diversion at Stover School.
- High Voltage Electric overhead diversion at Stover School.
- Accommodation works to create access for neighbouring landowners to allow main works to start.
- Temporary traffic lights will be used in targeted locations between Hunters Moon and Forches Cross over the next few months. This will allow as much work to be completed as possible prior to Forches Cross being closed.
December 2025
A382 improvement scheme on schedule – good progress is being made on the A382 improvements, and the project is on schedule despite the heavy downpours over the last couple of months. The landscape has changed dramatically with the level being reduced by five metres in some places – that’s around the same height as a double decker bus. Exeter Road and Whitehills Road have been removed, and the new roundabout has been formed, ready for drainage to be installed. The foundation to the embankment of the new link road has been constructed and the excavations for two new culverts to drain away excess water are complete. Drainage, kerbing and footway preparation has also been completed outside the MG Garage, ready for resurfacing. Find out more on our news pages and you can sign up for email bulletin updates here.
October – November 2025
The first timelapse shows the work that has been going on to construct the roundabout at Whitehills between October and November. The video shows the change in ground levels and stone being brought in to form the base of the road.
The timelapse below shows the construction of the drainage blanket which will sit beneath the embankment. The blanket is formed from stone placed on the ground and we will insert drainage through it to help the settlement of the embankment.
The image below shows an image from drone footage of the A382 with design overlayed.
The two images below highlight drone photos of the site before work started and when work is in progress, visible early November after works commenced.
September 2025
A382 improvements underway Work has started on improvements to the A382, with the road now closed at the Whitehills junction for around 11 months. The £50 million scheme aims to help ease congestion, improve safety and encourage active travel. It will upgrade and re-align the A382 between Forches Cross and Stover (Ice House Copse) and develop the Jetty Marsh Link road and Whitehills roundabout. Once the roundabout at Whitehills is complete, the work will move to Forches Cross, where there will be a further closure for 12 months. For more information please visit our news pages. Plans for construction work on A382 improvements A public information event will be held next week (Tuesday 9 September) about the upcoming A382 improvements near Newton Abbot. Plans will be on show at Newton Abbot Town Council offices, Newton’s Place, from 2pm-7pm on Tuesday 9 September, where people will have the opportunity to speak to the project team. For more information please visit our news pages.
July 2025
A382 upgrade set to get underway this autumn after DfT funding confirmation The Department for Transport (DfT) has approved the Full Business Case for improvements to the A382 near Newton Abbot. The DfT will fund £38.1m towards the £49.5m scheme, with the remaining being funded by Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council. Works to deliver the scheme will commence in the Autumn of 2025. Find out more on our news pages.
March 2024
Pioneering road scheme relocates 2,000 trees Around 2,000 trees have been relocated as part of pioneering efforts to make the A382 link road development near Newton Abbot the UK’s first “carbon negative” highway. A temporary nursery has been established to house the trees ahead of the start of construction work. Read more on our news pages. https://youtu.be/fjkWQMcbqYo
November 2023
Full Business Case for A382 upgrade gets approval for submission Councillors have approved the submission of the Full Business Case for improvements to the A382 near Newton Abbot. Devon County Council’s Cabinet has endorsed moving ahead with the next stage of the £56 million scheme and the Full Business Case is now expected to be submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) by the end of the year. Find out more on our news pages.
January 2023
Ambitious project to make A382 link road the UK’s first carbon negative highway Innovative proposals for the A382 link road development near Newton Abbot to become the UK’s first “carbon negative” highway have received Government support. The Live Labs 2 programme, funded by the DfT (Department for Transport) and organised by ADEPT (Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport), has announced that we have been successful in our £3.7 million bid for the project to decarbonise the construction and maintenance of the road. Find out more about the programme on the Devon County Council website.