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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 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.

£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 plan 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 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. 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.