Work on multi-million pound changes to two road junctions that will pave the way for thousands of new homes is set to begin next autumn.

A report, giving an update on the A249 junction improvement schemes at Sittingbourne's Key Street and Grovehurst roundabouts at Monday’s Swale Joint Transportation Board meeting, said construction was expected to begin in October 2022.

The scheme for Key Street is designed to improve capacity and safety on the existing gyratory and to relocate the access to the south-bound slip road to the A249 along Chestnut Street.

A new footpath, cycleway and commuter parking provision are included along Chestnut Street.

Meanwhile, the scheme for Grovehurst is to provide an additional bridge over the A249, creating a full gyratory junction.

For both schemes a complete detailed design is expected in February 2022, with works set to begin, at the earliest, in October that year, and completed by July 2024.

The cost estimate for the improvements to Key Street is £5.9m, which is mostly being funded by the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF). The rest is to be paid for by developer contributions.

The predicted price-tag for the upgrade to Grovehurst roundabout is £32.7m, which is being fully funded by the HIF.

The report said: “The improvements would support the delivery of more than 6,000 homes in the period 2022-2031 identified in the adopted Swale Local Plan, reduce existing congestion and queuing, as well as improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.”

The update comes after Swale’s Conservative councillors called for reports into the progress of the improvements in August.

They described the projects as “really important pieces of infrastructure” for the town.

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