A long-awaited relief road scheme to ease one of Kent’s worst traffic blackspots could be underway by the end of the year - but will cost the taxpayer £12 million more.

Compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to obtain land for the Sturry Link Road project in Canterbury may be granted tomorrow by Kent County Council (KCC), allowing work to progress.

But "exceptional" inflationary pressures are being blamed for the costs rising from an original estimate of £29.6m to £41.6m.

The highway and viaduct bridge is designed to link the A291 Sturry Hill, running as far as Herne Bay, to midway down the A28 Sturry Road.

Cllr David Brazier, KCC’s cabinet member for transport, said: “This scheme has been in the stocks for a very long time - five years or more.

“It has taken a very long time but I anticipate that contracts are to be let for the construction of the bridge in late 2023 or early 2024 with the work completed in a couple of years after that.”

On the rising price tag, KCC papers state: "The most recent cost estimate based on the tender prices (January 2023) for the design and build contract is £41.6m. This has increased from the cost estimate included in the original business case (£29.6m) due to exceptional inflationary pressure."

There were local fears that the project would be stalled indefinitely.

Although it is a KCC scheme, it is supported by Canterbury City Council which needs it to deliver its adopted Local Plan and meet its five-year housing growth plans.

If KCC’s Environment and Transport Committee (ETC) push through the granting of CPOs, it is a significant landmark in making it a reality.

Papers ahead of the meeting state: “The Sturry Link Road scheme is designed to remove the need for traffic on the A28 and A291 to cross the level crossing at Sturry.

“The scheme consists of a viaduct over the River Stour connecting the A28 to the south and a proposed development to the north.

“Growth proposed to the northeast of Canterbury will put additional strain on an already highly constrained network. It is, therefore, crucial that the Sturry Link Road progress to relieve the congestion and unlocking development.”

The principal objective is to reduce travelling time and improve reliability on the A28 corridor “thereby releasing some ‘headroom’ capacity to accommodate future background traffic growth and growth arising from economic and community development aspirations”, says the KCC report.

ETC chairman Sean Holden said: “The process is that if the committee agrees to the granting of CPOs, we make the recommendation to the cabinet member for transport, Cllr Brazier, who will then instruct council officers accordingly.”

It is understood much of the land is not in dispute and the use of CPOs may not be necessary.

The relief road also aims to reduce the “conflict risk” at the railway level crossings, allowing for more trains to run on the Ashford-Canterbury-Ramsgate route and improve Park and Ride initiatives.

The scheme will enable Canterbury City Council (CCC) as the local planning authority “to consider opportunities to increase housing and business growth in the surrounding area”.

The new road would run alongside new housing developments planned for the former Greenfields Shooting Grounds, with the viaduct to take cars over both the River Stour and the railway.

The Greenfields site was shut in late 2021 with planning consent for 600 homes to be built at Sturry Hill with more than 400 more on nearby land at Broad Oak.

KCC says that construction will result in temporary closures of footpaths, potentially affecting older and younger pedestrians.

Council officials warn it may also result in longer, more circuitous journeys to access hospitals, schools and public transport.

The KCC report warns: “Noise disruption from the construction works could cause anxiety and confusion for some people.

“If access to services and access to transport is disrupted it could disproportionately impact elderly people’s health and well-being as they may stop attending social groups, being active or attending health appointments.”

A CCC spokesman said: "The Sturry Link Road is an important project for the area as set out in the existing Canterbury District Transport Plan, supporting much-needed new homes and helping to relieve congestion at the Sturry level crossing.

"It is reassuring to see the intention to provide programme certainty for the project in the report going to the committee this week."