This is what a 300-metre viaduct stretching over the railway line and Great Stour will look like as part of the £30 million new Sturry link-road.

The ambitious scheme has been drawn up to help cope with the extra traffic generated by proposed new housing and designed to ease the gridlock around the Sturry crossing – already used by more than 20,000 vehicles on a average weekday.

More than 1,400 homes are earmarked for Sturry and Broad Oak and new development in Hersden and the new road and bridge is largely being funded by developer contributions.

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Designed by Kent County Council, its aim is to divert traffic heading to and from the new development and Herne Bay around the crossing.

The link road would run to the north and west of the A28 and A291.

It will start at a new junction on the A28 and head northwards across two arms of the Stour and over the railway line.

From the railway, the route would turn eastwards to connect back to the A291 at Sturry Hill.

It is predicted that by 2031 more than 30,000 vehicles could be using the new road every day.

Te outline plans were due to go before the county council’s environment and transportation committee for approval on Thursday to go out to public consultation at the end of June.

A KCC team has carried out a feasibility study and is discussing the plans with land owners.

Concern about traffic pollution in Sturry has already prompted parish councillors to organise air quality monitoring.

Clerk Julie Cronin said the council would scrutinise the plans and hold a meeting to consider response at a future date.

Director of highways and transportation Roger Wilkin says “significant progress” has been made.

The developers, including Environ Design (Sturry) Ltd, Barrett Homes and David Wilson Homes have completed a masterplan for the sites, which now includes the link road.

Quinn Estates already has permission for its 250-home development at Hersden and is making a significant contribution to the new road.

The favoured route for it to connect to the A28 is at a natural gap between the Canterbury Mercedes showroom and the water treatment works.