Funding pledged to improve roads

BROADWAY at the junction with Foxdenton Lane

A £500,000 contribution has been pledged by Highways England to help improve roads close to the Foxdenton development site.

The money will be used for improvements to the A663 Foxdenton and J21 of the M60 as part of the £100 million Chadderton housing and business development.

The road improvement scheme, which is supported by private contributions and Oldham Council, aims to unlock 44 hectares of development land, enabling up to 2,000 jobs and 500 new homes, Highways England stated.

The Foxdenton Development, a joint venture between Foxdenton LLP and Oldham Council, was given planning permission in 2014 and an update is expected soon.

The Highways England announcement is one of several road improvement schemes, worth £75 million, to create almost 11,000 jobs and the development of 4,000 homes around Derby, Daventry, Durham, and Taunton.

Highways England is making a £12.45 million contribution towards the schemes from its Growth and Housing Fund, with private sector developer contributions and other public funding making up the rest.

Jim O'Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive, said: "As the improvements we're announcing show, England's strategic road network is vital for economic success by connecting businesses and people and supporting the Government's agenda of employment and growth.

"The improvements are essential to accommodate the extra journeys the developments will create, and we will continue to use our Growth and Housing Fund to unlock further development sites around the country."