A long-awaited slip-road off the A2 branded “absolutely daft” by critics faces more delays – six years after it was first approved.

The proposed junction into Canterbury was given the green light in 2018, but planning permission lapsed before construction could take place.

Barratt David Wilson Homes (BDW) is compelled to fund the £8.8 million slip-road as part of its development of nearby Saxon Fields, a 750-home estate.

The new route would bring Dover-bound motorists off the A2 near the Wincheap Retail Park and neighbouring park and ride.

But the developer now wishes to push back the point at which it must have a contractor in place to carry out the task.

It comes more than 10 months after rehashed plans were submitted to Canterbury City Council (CCC), though the authority is yet to make a decision and will only do so in the coming months.

With the proposals looking to take over land used by the Wincheap Park and Ride, if approved by planning officers the council as landowners would then be forced to consider whether or not it wishes to even make the land available for BDW.

The developer must build the junction before the 450th property is occupied, and a contractor is due to be appointed by the occupation of the 300th home.

In papers submitted to the council, BDW officials have requested this be pushed back until the 332nd dwelling is occupied.

When asked why by KentOnline, the developer declined to discuss its reasoning but insisted the delivery of 750 homes in Saxon Fields, also known as Thanington Park, is on track.

The slip-road will connect the A2 to Ten Perch Road and the A28 by serving as an additional arm at the existing set of traffic signals.

As part of the reconfiguration, the roundabout serving Morrisons and Wincheap Retail Park would be removed, while another further up the road would be made bigger.

This would allow traffic using the superstore to turn back on itself – with cars being unable to make a right turn into the car park from Ten Perch Road.

Traffic in Wincheap has long been an issue with the area often dragged to a halt by traffic looking to access the A2, Ashford or the retail park.

It has often been hoped the new road would ease congestion in the area and on the city’s ring-road, while working alongside a one-way system further along the A28 in Wincheap.

But critics say the £8.8 million carriageway is “absolutely daft” and fear it will only make traffic issues worse.

Wincheap city councillor Roben Franklin (Lib Dem) told KentOnline last year the impact of increased traffic is going to be a “major issue”, highlighting how the area became a “ghost town” during emergency gasworks in late October.

“To have this fourth slip-road would encourage people using cars far more to go through Wincheap,” he said.

“It is already a dense neighbourhood.

“Just as we saw with the road closure, Wincheap and Ashford Road get really bogged down.”

Pentland Homes secured the approval and built 179 of the 750 homes before selling the remaining phases in 2021 to BDW, which as part of the deal also inherited the obligation to build the slip-road.

BDW has since seen 52 homes occupied while building works continue in the area.

William Walsh, managing director of Barratt David Wilson Kent said: “The application for the new A2 slip road is still under close consideration with Canterbury City Council.

“The Section 106 Deed of Variation seeks to amend the trigger in which BDW need to notify who BDW elect to deliver the slip road, with the trigger changing from prior to the occupation of 332 dwellings as opposed to 300 dwellings.

“It does not seek to amend the trigger for the delivery of the slip road.

“Works at Saxon Fields are progressing to schedule with all homes now ready to move into for occupants, with the newest phase offering two, three and four-bedroom homes.”

News of the hold-up with the A2 slip-road comes as elsewhere in Wincheap, another major road project faces further delays.

Work on the Wincheap gyratory system, which would see a stretch of the A28 out-of-bounds for traffic heading into Canterbury, was due to start in 2022 but has been postponed twice since.

Bosses behind the scheme, which would transform the industrial estate in Simmonds Road into a two-lane one-way carriageway, say they cannot offer a timeline for the delivery of the project as Kent County Council continues to deliberate over amended plans.