Final hurdle for Newark southern link road project, Newark and Sherwood District Council hears

A multi-million-pound road project that will link two major networks is approaching its final hurdle.

Negotiations are ongoing with contractors over Newark's southern link road, which will link the A46 at Farndon with the A1 at Fernwood.

Cabinet members of Newark and Sherwood District Council were given an update on the project, which has been in the pipeline for several years.

Members spoke of the final hurdle to the project in which the council is currently waiting to hear price quotes back from contractors for the construction of the road.

Two contracts have been out to tender for either end of the road, where it meets with the A1 and A46 respectively.

Five contractors have reported interest, however, the process is still in the qualification stage and final costs have not yet been agreed and so cannot be reported at this time.

The district council will now form a dialogue between developers and Nottinghamshire County Council to finalise the costs.

If agreed, subject to contract returns, the County council will provide £2.5m of the project funding.

Outlined in the report to cabinet were details about how the southern relief road is being funded from a mix of private and public partners, including a £20m government grant from round one of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) which was secured in October 2021.

An additional £7m is being provided by the D2N2 LEP grant and £5m from a Newark and Sherwood District Council grant.

This funding will be released in stages to the developers of the project, Urban and Civic, subject to agreed milestones outlined within the grant funding agreement.

Progress will be overseen by the monitoring board comprising; Urban and Civic, Homes England, National Highways, Nottinghamshire County Council, D2N2, and Newark and Sherwood District Council.

Cabinet member Keith Girling was concerned about the effects of inflation and rising costs of materials on the project.

He suggested that in order to maintain affordability and to avoid spiralling costs, they would need to allow for some flexibility due to the current volatility of the market.

The council confirmed that it has been in conversation with the Department of Levelling Up and informed them that with contracts out to tender, the market will dictate the costs going forward.

The report was unanimously approved by members