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Sturry link road

As part of the Sturry link road scheme, there will be a road built that crosses both the railway and the Great Stour river. It would allow traffic to avoid the level crossing and support the planned new housing developments for Sturry and Broad Oak.

Why we're making changes

The A28 through Sturry gets congested because the level crossing interrupts traffic. The new road would allow traffic to avoid the level crossing and improve access to Sturry station.

The road will also support the planned housing developments in Sturry and Broad Oak, where up to 1,000 houses are proposed.

What will change

The Sturry Link Road scheme will deliver a new route between the A28 and the A291 at Sturry, providing a bypass for the heavily congested Sturry Level Crossing and the junction of the A291 and A28 at Island Road. The scheme includes a new roundabout on the A28, which will link to a combined viaduct structure spanning the River Stour, its floodplain, and the railway line.

This viaduct will lead into a northern roundabout and new east–west route situated north of the railway, joining the A291 Sturry Hill to the east. The northern roundabout and east–west section of the route will be delivered by the Land at Sturry developer.  The scheme also provides a direct link north of the railway to Shalloak Road in the west.

The scheme will also feature a continuous off-road shared footway-cycleway, a southbound bus lane for buses headed towards Canterbury city centre, pedestrian crossing points, and road lighting throughout except over the viaduct itself.

£29.6m has been secured by Kent County Council, with £5.9m from the Local Growth Fund obtained from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, and the £23.7m match funding.

Timescales

  • Surveys and outline designs - spring 2017
  • Public consultation before planning - summer 2017
  • Planning consent granted - September 2021
  • Procurement of a design and build contract - February 2024
  • Compulsory Purchase Order Public Inquiry - beginning 1 October 2024
  • Detailed design - spring 2024 to winter 2025
  • Archaeology and site clearance works - summer to winter 2025
  • Construction - spring 2026 to winter 2027.

Email SturryLinkRoad@kent.gov.uk to contact us or for further information about this scheme.

Scheme documents

Public consultation

The public consultation before planning has now closed for comments but the consultation report and accompanying documents are available under the scheme plans section on this page.

Scheme plan

Formal decision

The approval to progress the Sturry link road was taken by Kent County Council on:

The decision by the SELEP Accountability Board to grant Local Growth Funding for the Sturry link road was made on the 24 June 2016.

Consent Decision Notice (PDF, 266.9 KB)

Environmental surveys and reports

Email SturryLinkRoad@kent.gov.uk for a copy of the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal.

Land acquisition

Compulsory Purchase Order 2023 and Side Roads Order 2023

The next stage in the development of the A28 Sturry Link Road is the acquisition of land and rights to allow the scheme to be built.

A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) has been published to secure the necessary land and rights, and to give certainty to the construction programme. However, negotiations with landowners will continue to try and acquire the land by agreement.

A statutory order known as a Side Roads Order (SRO) has also been published that will give authority for improvements to the highway and changes to access to some land necessitated by the Sturry Link Road scheme.

The CPO and SRO were published on 30 November 2023. As there were outstanding objections, the Secretary of State instructed that a public inquiry be held. The public inquiry was held on Tuesday 1 October 2024.

The CPO and SRO with modifications were confirmed by the Secretary of State on 19 February 2025.

Documents

Confirmed CPO and SRO

The Orders

Scheme plans

Design and access

Traffic modelling

Public engagement

Road safety audit

Planning policy

SELEP funding

S106 Agreements

Environment Statement and related reports

The following documents can be found on our planning applications website:

Planning permission

County Council Governance

Equalities Impact Assessment

CPO and SRO Preparation Guidance

Funded by

The government Growth Deal provides money to the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, funding projects which drive Kent’s economic and business growth.