A major upgrade on the A34 in Oxfordshire is set to begin next year after the Government agreed to provide £17m from its infrastructure fund for brownfield land.
The scheme will be one of the first to be awarded infrastructure grant funding through the Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) Fund.
Oxfordshire County Council said the £33m A34 Lodge Hill Interchange project will reduce congestion and support new housing, as well as make cycling and walking easier and safer in the area.
Council officers had been working closely with Homes England for the past year to develop a business case for the funding.
The government agency then confirmed a £17.33m grant through the BIL Fund, subject to the agreement of pre-contract conditions.
The highway authority had already secured funding sources including developer contributions, the Housing Growth Deal and funding directly from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities but a funding gap was identified last year.
The junction, which is located between Abingdon and Oxford, currently has only north-facing slip roads. The scheme will add south-facing slip roads A34, cycle and pedestrian safety improvements and layby upgrades on the A34.
Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire’s cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy, said: ‘Securing this additional funding will help accelerate the detailed design process and enable construction to begin. This is vital and much-needed investment to support growth in Abingdon.’
Homes England director of infrastructure funding Pauline Schaffer said: ‘Our multimillion-pound funding will provide strategic transport infrastructure for housing growth in the area, unlocking 820 high quality homes and supporting existing and future local plan housing allocations.’
The council said both parties are looking to sign a grant funding agreement by the end of the year, with construction anticipated to start in summer 2024 and last approximately two years.
