Date set for inquiry on £56m Newtown bypass scheme
The date has been set for the inquiry into a £56 million bypass for Newtown.
The inquiry will get under way on June 25 at the Elephant and Castle Hotel in Broad Street, town councillors have been told.
Some members of the authority questioned why there had to be an inquiry, which is likely to prove expensive. Councillor Rina Clarke, town mayor, said: "We knew that there would be an inquiry as there have been a lot of dissenting voices along the way.
"We have already said that we support the bypass in a letter to the Welsh Assembly."
The current proposal for the bypass sees it start at a new roundabout on the A489 Llanidloes Road to the west of Newtown and run south of the Mochdre Industrial Estate east of Dolfor Road. It would continue to the A489 Kerry Road junction and then south of the Vastre and Dyffryn Industrial Estates before crossing the Cambrian railway, ending at a roundabout on the A483 Pool Road, east of Newtown.
The inquiry will be preceded by a pre-inquiry hearing at 10am on April 30 at the same venue. A group of councillors recently met representatives from Powys Council Council to begin discussions on the de-trunking of the A483 through Newtown.
Councillor Tom Chandler said: "We have been talking to organisations for two to three years about de-trunking but this is the first time we have had talks with Powys County Council.
"We have to make sure that the bypass works for Newtown."
