North Somerset Council agrees additional £11.9m for Banwell bypass
An additional £11.9m of funding for the Banwell bypass was unanimously agreed at yesterday’s (Tuesday 11 July) Full Council meeting.
Despite setting aside £7.6m in scheme’s original budget to protect the bypass from changing construction costs, the four years since funding was initially secured from Homes England have seen unprecedented price increases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The agreed £11.9m funding uplift, which comes from Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106 monies and reallocated capital reserves, will help tackle these inflationary pressures and meet globally increased costs of fuel, construction material and labour.
The additional £11.9m is subject the remainder of the additional costs being met by Homes England and the outcome of the public inquiry into Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) needed to build the bypass. The inquiry is being held at the Grand Pier and is expected to last until Friday 28 July. The inquiry can be watched online at banwellbypass.live
The outcome of the inquiry will be decided by the Secretary of State within the next few months. You can read more about the Banwell bypass by visiting n-somerset.gov.uk/banwellbypass.