Frustration as proposed Isham bypass opening date pushed back again

Campaigners say they are annoyed after the proposed opening date for the planned Isham bypass was pushed back yet again.

Thousands of motorists travel through the village on the A509 each day and residents have fought for decades for a new road linking Kettering and Wellingborough, but it does not currently have the required funding.

A route has been mapped out and a planning application and outline business case were due to be submitted by October 2022, with hopes the bypass would open in November 2026.

But it’s now going to be July 2027 – at the earliest – because North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) has still not submitted their proposals almost six months on from their original planned date. Council bosses say it has taken more work than they expected.

Martin Evans moved to Isham about 10 years ago and thought the bypass was going to be built then. He said: “Isham is the only village left between Olney and Corby without a bypass. It’s waited 30 years or more for it.

"It’s very annoying and the worry is, frankly, that if we do not get the money promised before the next general election we might have a Labour Government and they might cancel the whole thing.”

It’s hoped that construction could start in July 2025. But dates could still be pushed back even further if objections are received to necessary compulsory purchase orders or it is decided that a public inquiry is required.

Isham bypass campaigner Graham Rait was not happy to find out there would be another delay. He said: "They still have an awful lot of work to do, they still do not know whether they are going to get approval and they still don't know whether they are going to get any funding.

"They still don't know whether there will be a public inquiry and they still can't guarantee that no other projects will suddenly become a top priority, like Flore and Geddington.

"Basically we are approximately where we were 35 years ago."

The scheme has previously received planning permission, which has now lapsed, and once had £25m in funding – only to lose it because the remaining £15m for the scheme couldn't be found.

The proposed Isham bypass would see a dual carriageway built from the Symmetry Park roundabout, running in a southerly direction west of Isham, and rejoining the A509 near Great Harrowden with a new roundabout at Hill Top Road. A 1km stretch between the A14 and the Symmetry Park roundabout has already been made a dual carriageway as part of the planning permission for the huge warehouse park that is being built nearby.

A bid for major road network funding was submitted in 2020 and a strategic outline business case was submitted later that year. In 2021 almost £2m was secured towards funding the next stage, including a planning application and the submission of another case. But this is now expected to take place nine months later than the council first hoped.

Cllr Graham Lawman (Con), NNC’s executive member for highways, travel and assets, said: “The A509 Isham bypass is – and remains – a priority scheme for North Northamptonshire Council as it brings so many benefits to the local community as well as the wider economy.

“The council is entirely committed to bringing the scheme forward and recognises that a thorough approach is needed to the preparation of the planning application and business case so it has the best chance of being approved.

“Significant progress has been made towards preparing the planning application for the Isham bypass, including carrying out various ecological surveys, traffic projections, road safety audits, and completing pavement and lighting design, however, recent regulatory changes in the information required for planning permission for major highways projects means that more work is now needed to make revisions to these plans.

“As such, it was not possible to submit the planning application during the winter period as previously forecast and is now expected to be made in July this year.

“While this is disappointing, it is important that we get the detail right on the planning application to give the best chance of early approval and we will continue to work at pace to develop the proposals.”