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.
The link road would start at a new junction on the A28 and head north across the Great Stour and railway line. A combined viaduct solution is likely rather than individual bridges. This is because the ground conditions are poor and the Great Stour runs close to the railway. Also, the route the road can take is restricted.
From the railway the road would turn east to connect back to the A291. Where the road runs will partly be influenced by the layout of the proposed housing development. The idea at this stage is for a junction in the area of (E) that would allow separate connections to be made to the A291 and A28.
The link road would open up opportunities for improvements to the station including a car park. If a new pedestrian footbridge was provided as part of a station upgrade the pedestrian crossing could be closed - Milner Crossing (G).
The new road would be close to another level crossing at Broad Oak (H). The link road would open up the potential opportunity to close the crossing if a suitable connection to the link road could be achieved.
The £29.6m project 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.
Scheme plan
Sturry Link Road scheme plan (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Sturry Link Road Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) (PDF, 156.7 KB)
Sturry Link Road consultation booklet (PDF, 4.9 MB)
Sturry Link Road consultation report (PDF, 4.0 MB)
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.
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.
- Surveys and outline designs - autumn 2015 to spring 2017
- Public consultation before planning - summer 2017
- Planning consent granted - September 2021
- Procurement of a design and build contract - autumn 2021 to spring 2023
- Detailed design - spring 2023 to winter 2024
- Construction - spring 2025 to summer 2026.
The public consultation before planning has now closed for comments but the consultation report and accompanying documents are available under the scheme plan section on this page.
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 enable 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. The Secretary of State for Transport will consider the Orders and if objections are received, may instruct a public inquiry before taking a decision.
The Orders
- The CPO Order and Schedule (PDF, 316.8 KB)
- The CPO Order Map (PDF, 2.1 MB)
- The SRO Order and Schedule (PDF, 122.5 KB)
- The SRO Order Map (PDF, 640.1 KB)
- Statement of Reasons (PDF, 299.7 KB)
Scheme plans
- Link Road Scheme Plan (PDF, 2.9 MB)
- Viaduct General Arrangement (PDF, 903.0 KB)
- Relief Road Scheme Plan (PDF, 2.0 MB)
- Developer Scheme Plan - western section (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Developer Scheme Plan - middle section (PDF, 1.8 MB)
- Developer Scheme Plan - eastern section (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- A28/A291 Junction Scheme Plan (PDF, 1.7 MB)
- Valencia Continuity of Access Plan (PDF, 340.4 KB)
Design and access
- Design and Access Statement (June 2021)
- Structures Feasibility Report (July 2017)
- Structures Feasibility Report - part 1
(PDF, 9.1 MB) - Structures Feasibility Report - part 2 (PDF, 15.7 MB)
- Structures Feasibility Report - part 3
(PDF, 6.4 MB) - Structures Feasibility Report - part 4
(PDF, 20.7 MB) - Structures Feasibility Report - part 5 (PDF, 16.3 MB)
- Structures Feasibility Report - part 6
(PDF, 15.0 MB)
- Structures Feasibility Report - part 1
- Briefing Note of Sturry Station Upgrade and Line Resignalling Aspects (PDF, 170.9 KB) - April 2021
Traffic modelling
- Transport Assessment (PDF, 5.5 MB) - November 2018
- Transport Assessment Addendum (PDF, 380.8 KB) - September 2019
- Supplementary Transport appraisal (PDF, 3.1 MB) - May 2021
Public engagement
- Sturry Link Road Consultation Booklet (PDF, 4.9 MB) - summer 2017
- Sturry Link Road Consultation Report - 2017 (PDF, 4.0 MB)
Road safety audit
- Road Safety Audit Stage 1 Response Report (PDF, 19.8 MB) - December 2017
Planning policy
- National Planning Policy Framework (PDF, 549.4 KB) – July 2021
- Framing Kent’s Future 2022 to 2026 (PDF, 6.8 MB)
- Kent and Medway Growth Infrastructure Framework 2018 Update (PDF, 8.7 MB)
- Local Transport Plan 4 2016 to 2031 (PDF, 3.0 MB)
- Canterbury District Local Plan – Adopted July 2017
- Local Plan Inspector’s report (PDF, 771.4 KB) – June 2017
- Draft Canterbury District Local Plan to 2045 – October 2022
SELEP funding
- SELEP Business Case (June 2016)
- SELEP Funding Approval Minutes (PDF, 2.9 MB) - April 2023
- SELEP Update Minutes June 2016 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
S106 Agreements
- Land at Sturry/Broad Oak CA/20/02826 Planning Permission (PDF, 401.2 KB) - March 2021
- Land at Sturry/Broad Oak CA/20/02826 Masterplan (PDF, 3.4 MB)
- Land at Sturry/Broad Oak CA/20/02826 S106 (PDF, 6.6 MB) - March 2021
- Land at Broad Oak Farm CA/18/0868 (PDF, 3.0 MB) - March 2021
- Hoplands Farm CA/16/00404/OUT (PDF, 10.1 MB) - July 2017
- Former Herne Bay Golf Club CA/15/00844 (PDF, 3.9 MB) - September 2015
- Former Chislet Colliery, Hersden CA/16/00673/OUT (PDF, 15.3 MB) - November 2018
- Land to north of Hersden Layout Plan (PDF, 1.7 MB)
Environment Statement and related reports
The following documents can be found on our planning applications website:
- Environmental Statement Non-technical Summary - June 2021
- Environmental Statement Vol 2 main text - March 2019
- Environmental Statement Update - June 2021
- Environmental Statement Vol 3 Figures 1.1 to 8.1
- Environmental Statement Vol 3 Figures 8.2 to 8.16
- Environmental Statement Vol 3 Figures 8.17 to 11.6a
- Environmental Statement Vol 3 Figures 11.6b to 14.2
- Environmental Statement Vol 3 Figures 14.3 to 18.1
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 Appendices contents
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 1.1 Land at Sturry Masterplan
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 4.1 Consultation responses
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 5.1Construction Environmental Management Plan
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 6.1 Design and Access Statement Part 1
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 6.1 Design and Access Statement Part 2
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 8.1 Dust Risk Assessment Tables
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 8.2 Detailed Modelling Methodology
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 8.3 Detailed Modelling Results
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 8.4 Mitigation of Temporary Effects
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 8.5 Traffic Modelling Summary
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 9.1 Archaeological Desk Based Assessment
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 10.1 Landscape Proposal
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 11.1 Ecology Baseline Report
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 11.2 Habitat Regulations Assessment
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 14.1 Traffic Data for Noise Assessment
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 14.2 Noise Survey Results and Calibration Certificates
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 14.3 Operational Noise Results
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 16.1 Flood Risk and Drainage Strategy part 1
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 16.1 Flood Risk and Drainage Strategy part 2
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 16.2 HAWRAT (Highways Agency Water Risk Assessment Tool)
- Environmental Statement Vol 4 - 17.1 Greenhouse gases
- Air Quality Assessment Addendum - February 2020
- Attenuation Ponds for Saline Treatments Plan - Illustrative
- Ecology and Nature Conservation Addendum - September 2019
- Flood Risk Assessment Addendum - April 2020
- Preliminary Sources Study and Contamination Assessment Report - November 2016
- Wetland Habitat Restoration Plan - Illustrative
Planning permission
- Planning Applications Committee Report – September 2021
- Planning Permission Decision Letter (PDF, 4.1 MB) – September 2021
County Council Governance
- Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee (PDF, 147.1 KB) – September 2015
- Record of Decision – 15/00070 (PDF, 644.6 KB)
- Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee (PDF, 134.5 KB) – June 2017
- Record of Decision – 17/00061 (PDF, 449.8 KB)
- Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee (PDF, 334.7 KB) - May 2018
- Record of Decision – 18/0002723/00066 (PDF, 260.4 KB)
- Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee (PDF, 1.8 MB) – July 2023
- Record of Decision – 23/00066 (PDF, 121.7 KB)
Equalities Impact Assessment
- Equalities Impact Assessment (PDF, 3.8 MB) – July 2023
CPO and SRO Preparation Guidance
- DCLG Guidance on Compulsory Purchase and The Crichel Down Rules 2019
- DfT Circular 2/97 Notes on the Preparation of Compulsory Purchase Orders (PDF, 2.9 MB)
- SI 1994 No. 2145 Acquisition of Land
- DfT Circular 1/97 Notes on the Preparation of Side Roads Orders:
To contact us or for further information about this scheme email SturryLinkRoad@kent.gov.uk.
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.