A NEW motorway junction between Stroud and Falfield would ‘open up the opportunity for substantial and rapid growth’, according to council chiefs.

The leaders of Stroud and Forest of Dean district councils have lodged a joint interest in the new junction between junctions 13 and 14 with the chief executive of Highways England.

The two councils asked that a new junction and an associated non-motorway route, including a third Severn crossing, which could economically boost both districts, be considered.

Last month a letter, signed by Stroud District Council’s chief executive David Hagg and leader Cllr Steve Lydon as well as the leader of Forest of Dean District Council’s leader Cllr Patrick Molyneux, was sent to Highways England outlining the potential benefits of the additional junction

Explaining the reason for the request to the Gazette, Cllr Lydon said: “We’re told by Highways England that junction 13 and 14 are nearly at capacity. That’s one factor.

“If we want to free up more development land for jobs and growth, a new junction would create access to Berkeley and Sharpness – and a third crossing on the Severn – which would allow us to to do so.

“It’s raising our game a bit, seeing what we can do locally to support things.

“We have to look to the future – for example, the long term plans at Oldbury Power Station which is going to be a massive project and the new college in Berkeley.

“It’s us saying to the government and Highways: we’re here to do business and are ready to free up more development land to create economic vitality.”

The letter, which has received the support of a number of the county’s largest businesses and organisations, reads: “This [new junction] would relieve pressure on existing junctions and build capacity as major housing and employment growth takes place in Stroud district.

“It opens up the opportunity for substantial and rapid growth in a key development area in Stroud district, centred on Sharpness Docks, the £40million Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park at Berkeley Green and growth associated with the new nuclear power station investment at Oldbury.”

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s (SGS) new Berkeley Green campus, home of the science and technology park, is scheduled to open its doors to its first students next September and the college’s principal, Sara-Jane Watkins, welcomed the proposal.

She said: “We have found that students within this demographic find it hard to reach further education due to transportation issues. 

“SGS have therefore supported the proposed new junction between Stroud and Falfield, to help these learners access better opportunities. 

“It will also allow better transport routes for students planning on studying at our new Berkeley Green Campus which will be home to hundreds of budding scientists, engineers and would-be cyber security protectors, located on the former nuclear laboratories.”

Infrastructure investment, including the junction proposal is being considered in relation to a growth deal agreed by Gloucestershire’s local enterprise partnership, GFirst LEP, which was set up in 2011 to drive growth in the county.

Mike Curran, business engagement manager at GFirst LEP said: “GFirst LEP is fully supportive of the proposals for the new junction as this has the potential to unlock transformational development both in the immediate area and throughout Gloucestershire. 

“Our strategic economic plan outlines the need for a growth zone based on the M5 corridor to provide space for sustainable business expansion. 

“The provision of a new motorway junction between Junctions 13 and 14 will enable the exciting plans being formulated by Stroud District Council for major housing and employment growth to become reality.”

Highways England is in the process of preparing a strategy for the country's road network from 2020 and the new junction proposal is set to be considered as part of that document.

Rob Llewellyn, Highways England asset development manager, said: “Work has started on preparing the evidence for the next Road Investment Strategy from 2020 onwards, and we are keen to listen to ideas for projects that could get the go-ahead.”

“We are working closely with motorists, local communities, construction partners and environmental groups to gain information and identify where users and communities feel the greatest priorities for investment are needed.

“As part of our route strategies approach, this information will be reviewed to help us better understand the performance of our roads and shape our investment priorities to improve the service for road users and support a growing economy. We expect to complete the route strategies by March 2017.”