Bullockstone Road Improvement Scheme (Part of Herne Relief Road)
This scheme provides improvements to Bullockstone Road in order to improve highways safety and facilitate several housing and employment sites proposed in Canterbury City Council's local plan (CCC local Plan).
The improvements, together with the proposed spine road to be constructed as part of the development site at Strode Farm, will form Herne Relief Road.
The Bullockstone Road Improvement scheme was delivered by Kent County Council and completed in July 2023.
The improvements include:
- widening of Bullockstone Road to 7 metres
- a shared footway/cycleway for the full length of the road
- a new roundabout at the Bullockstone Road/A291 Canterbury Road junction
- a new roundabout at the Bullockstone Road/Lower Herne Village spine road junction
- introduction of a 40mph speed limit on Bullockstone Road
- landscaping to replace lost greenery.
Drawings
- drawing 1 - phase 1 roundabout junction A291 + Bullockstone (PDF, 437.5 KB)
- drawing 2 - phase 1B Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 437.8 KB)
- drawing 3 - phase 1A Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 431.5 KB)
- drawing 4 - phase 2A Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 405.4 KB)
- drawing 5 - phase 2A + 2B Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 606.3 KB)
- drawing 6 - phase 2B Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 673.8 KB)
- drawing 7 - phase 2B + 3 tie in Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 391.7 KB)
- drawing 8 - phase 3 Bullockstone Road widening (PDF, 341.7 KB)
- drawing 9 - phase 3 roundabout junction Lower Herne Road + Bullockstone Road (PDF, 329.9 KB)
Scheme cost
This project cost £8.9 million and was funded through developer contributions.
Updates
Read the press release about the Bullockstone Road Improvement Scheme completion
Bullockstone Road was a narrow single carriageway that did not provide a safe and suitable route for all users as there were no footpaths or cycle paths. Additionally, hedges and vegetation created a narrow corridor for all traffic.
Substantial development is planned in the area and this will increase congestion. The improvement scheme provides an alternative route to the existing A291 through Herne, which is very narrow.
The scheme supports the Kent economy by reducing congestion, improving infrastructure, and improving accessibility. The scheme also means around 2,600 new homes identified in the Canterbury Local Plan 2017 sites 3 (Hillborough), 4 (Herne Bay Golf Club) and 5 (Lower Herne Village) can be built. These sites are detailed in policy SP3 and contribute to policy T13 for a Herne Relief Road. The remainder of the relief road will be constructed by the Lower Herne Village developer.
Scheme objectives
The objectives of this scheme were to:
- improve highway safety along Bullockstone Road
- enable the development of several strategic allocations identified in CCC’s local plan
- provide an alternative route around Herne for vehicles travelling towards Sturry and Canterbury.
Formal decisions
The approval to progress the Bullockstone Road Improvement Scheme was taken by Kent County Council on 19 July 2018.