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Bullockstone Road Improvement Scheme (Part of Herne Relief Road)

This scheme will provide 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

Bullockstone Road will be widened with 2 new roundabout junctions created at the A291 Canterbury Road junction and at the northern end of the scheme to provide access to Lower Herne Village.

The scheme includes:

  • widening of Bullockstone Road
  • 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
  • closing off Lower Herne Road to general traffic
  • introducing a 40mph speed limit on Bullockstone Road
  • landscaping to replace lost greenery.

Scheme cost

This project will cost £8.9 million and is being funded through developer contributions.

Scheme documents

Bullockstone Road is a narrow single carriageway that does not currently provide a safe and suitable route for all users as there are no footpaths or cycle paths. Additionally, hedges and vegetation create a narrow corridor for all traffic.

Substantial development is planned in the area and this will increase congestion. The improvement scheme aims to provide 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 are 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.

Following the consultation process in 2019, several changes have been implemented following the comments that were received:

  • removal of the southern end pinch point, allowing the full length of the road to have a 7 metre wide carriageway
  • moving the roundabouts to allow for landscape maintenance and property access
  • installing bus stops for new routes.

These changes meant that a new planning application was submitted in summer 2020.

Timescales

The projected timescales for this project are:

  • planning application: granted May 2021
  • detailed design: summer 2021
  • land acquisition: spring 2022
  • Advance site clearance: February to March 2022
  • procurement of a contractor: winter 2021 to summer 2022
  • construction starts: summer 2022 to autumn 2023.

Please note these timescales are subject to change dependent on the timing of funding contributions.

To contact us for further information about this scheme, please email bullockstoneroad@kent.gov.uk.