by Thom Morris

Plans to increase capacity on the M20 by creating a new £100 million junction near Ashford have been given the go-ahead.

Transport minister Chris Mole published details for the new junction 10a - east of the existing junction 10 - which aims to improve journey time and safety on the motorway and provide access to major development sites.

The dual carriageway link road will join the A2070 Southern Orbital Road and Junction 10A, as well as link to the existing junction and A20.

Ashford’s Future boss Judith Armitt, responsible for investing £2.5 billion into the borough, said: “The new junction will help open up developments to the east of Ashford including Cheeseman’s Green, Waterbrook and Sevington, enabling 5,000 new homes and 3,000 new jobs to be created.”

She added: “With work due to start soon on improvements to junction nine and a new junction 10a built as early as 2014 we are putting in place vital infrastructure which will give Ashford all the key road schemes it needs to unlock growth and support a growing population while creating exciting new development opportunities for investors.”

The Highways Agency will now carry out further surveys and detailed design of the junction in preparation for an application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in late 2011.

Subject to all the plans being agreed the new junction could be open for traffic four or five years time.

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