The new A51 Reaseheath bypass should be open by end of October, residents have been told.
An update on the road was given at a parish council meeting last week as it emerged how many homes have now been occupied on the Kingsbourne housing development.
Originally, Cheshire East Council anticipated the road would be open by February 2022, taking traffic away from The Green in Reaseheath.
But planning conditions stated that the road was not required to be opened until at least 750 properties on the new development are occupied.
That number is expected to be reached by the end of this month.
Cllr Sarah Pochin, who represents the Bunbury ward on Cheshire East Council, told Nantwich News: “It’s always been the case that the road needs to be open upon sale completion of the 750th house.
“The estimated opening time for the road and this number of occupations has been by end of October.”
It was feared the other delay was to install a pedestrian crossing on the new road to enable access for residents and Reaseheath students to walk to the town centre.
Cllr Pochin added: “I have personally intervened to get a controlled crossing at that exit for Reaseheath students and that has been agreed.
“I have no reason to think that that will delay the opening of the road.
“The crossing has to happen at the same time – the crossing is on the exit from the roundabout.”
One resident at the meeting said: “People are asking why the roundabout is so close to the estate and it shouldn’t be so near?
“Others think that the new road will help with the parking situation when the football is on. They’ll be desperate for that parking to be traffic calming.”
In August, Cheshire East Council said completion and opening of the road was “out of their hands”.
In a statement, they said: “The A51 realignment is a developer-led scheme, involving three housing developers who have entered into a legal agreement to fund this highways project.
“While the council’s highways service is pressing for early completion, there are outstanding planning and highways matters concerning this project and these are beyond the control of the council.
“One of these is the installation of a pedestrian-controlled crossing, currently being assessed by the council’s highways service.
“Discussions continue with the developers responsible for the scheme and we expect to announce a completion date in the near future.”
(Images by Jonathan White)
Can someone clarify which October 2023?, 2024?
This pedestrian crossing needs to be put at least a minimum of 30 metres from the roundabout with railings round the corners to stop the students from cutting across the entrance of the roundabout. I hope we dont see any horrific accidents happening with the heavy traffic coming and going taking the shortest most direct route to Chester. I dont think the location was thought out too well especially having a walk to college in the vicinity it is a busy college with students in droves walking.
Surely Reaseheath College should pay for the pedestrian crossing as it is for the benefit of their students.
Well it looks like you have moved the main chester road away from approximately 10 houses around reasheath green , to run very close to a large number of new houses, what was the point in that, I have no objection to the road being re-routed but why make it so narrow and allow the builders to place houses right next to it.
This will become an accident black spot.
Are they putting fencing/ hedging along the roads to eliminate noise to the houses and prevent any speeding fools coming off the road straight into peoples houses as there is nothing there at the moment?
will be a great rat run through to the town, watch out for the Sunday morons that race along the A500 no they will have more playgrounds to annoy
Another stunning success by our Highways Dept locally. Following the overrun disasters and planning on Middlewich Road and Nantwich Town Centre. How do you think of a pedestrian crossing when the road is essentially built.