New roundabout being built in Fakenham will finish a week later than originally planned, says Norfolk County Council

Works to create a new roundabout on a town’s bypass have been pushed back to allow for resurfacing.

Residents in Fakenham have long complained about the time it has taken for Norfolk County Council to complete the roadworks on the A148 near Wells Road and Water Moor Lane, but the wait is about to get longer.

A spokesperson for the authority announced that the finishing date will be a week later than expected to allow for road resurfacing to take place.

“Overnight closures are planned for May 12 to 19 and all traffic management will be removed from the A148 ahead of the May half-term,” they added.

“Further information regarding the closures will be communicated nearer the time.”

Initially, the scheme was meant to be completed by May 11 and the council had told the Lynn News back in February that it was “progressing as planned”, but efforts to divert utilities for a water main have meant the programme had to be extended.

Once complete, the roundabout will become part of the Fakenham Urban Extension, a project which is set to bring 950 homes, a new primary school, a hotel and a new community centre to the town.

When works were just starting to get under way in September, Cllr Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said the roundabout will bring “significant economic growth” to Fakenham.

The land was allocated for development in the North Norfolk Local Plan in 2011 and originally received outline planning permission in October 2019, which included the general location and design of the roundabout.

North Norfolk District Council later worked with Norfolk County Council to secure a grant of £1.8million, with the rest of the funds being met by the landowner, Trinity College Cambridge.

Cllr Christopher Cushing, the district council’s member for Fakenham’s Lancaster North, added: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of the Fakenham urban extension, and it would not have happened without North Norfolk District Council driving this.

“I’m grateful to the planning officers and Highways managers whose hard work has made this happen.”