Our Cabinet has given the go ahead to improve links to a new employment development at Langage, a key part of the Plymouth and South Devon (PASD) Freeport.
Councillors today (Wednesday 10 April) approved the delivery of a two-phase spine road, which extends the existing Kingsway road, and a multi-use bridge across the A38 Deep Lane Junction, which will connect the new community of Sherford to the growing development.
PASD Freeport is one of twelve designated by Government and is a partnership between, Plymouth City Council, South Hams District Council, Devon County Council, and the private sector.
It aims to create over 3,500 jobs, predominantly across key engineering and manufacturing sectors, and will play a crucial role in Devon’s economic recovery and growth.
Currently, the Kingsway road stops just south of the Langage Power Station on the eastern side of the Langage Business Park.
Phase one will focus on extending the road so that it serves the Langage customs and tax site. The ambition is for work to begin in November this year for completion the following spring.
The road will be delivered in such a way that it will allow developers to deliver access points to the site in the future as individual plots receive planning permission and become available.
Phase two will be a continuation of the first phase with a planning application expected to be submitted in September 2024. The delivery of this section of the spine road will align with the future delivery of the employment development, expected to be in 2027.
Work on the multi-use bridge is expected to start in December of this year.
The delivery of this infrastructure, as well as improvements to the Sandy Road/Holland Road roundabout, is funded by £9.619 million by the UK Government as part of the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport seed capital programme, and up to £14.289 million of borrowing by DCC, which was approved at Full Council in February this year.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said:
“I welcome the proposed infrastructure to support the Freeport, which will bring new jobs to the area. The new bridge across the A38 is much needed to support active travel at an early stage in the expansion of homes and jobs on Plymouth’s urban fringe. Early delivery of a walking and cycling connection between Sherford and Langage Business Park, including the Freeport, will provide a healthy, safe alternative choice for short distance journeys. We’ve worked closely with stakeholders on the design of the bridge and have listened to feedback. This has resulted in amended plans to make crossing facilities more convenient and safer for people living and working in the area.”
Councillor Andrea Davis, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said:
“The Freeport’s vision is to create thousands of high-quality jobs while acting as an exemplar to achieve net zero ahead of 2050. This new bridge supports that vision through the decarbonisation of transport by improving active travel options for short to medium distance journeys in the local area.”
The schemes for the spine road and bridge will now go out to tender subject to the resolution of legal and land assembly agreements and planning consents.