The proposed road would cut through agricultural land

The route of a new link road in the North West of Preston has been revealed.

Lancashire County Council has applied to the city council for permission to scope the East-West link road.

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It will cut through farmland on the northern cusp of the city just south of the M55.

The link road is seen as an important part of allowing thousands of homes to be built in Preston’s “garden city” as it is being billed.

Up to 5,500 homes could be created around Woodplumpton, Fulwood, Cottam and Ingol as the city council identified this area as the place to meet Preston’s growing population and housing needs.

The 2.8 km road would go from the B6241 at the junction with Wychnor just to the south of Lightfoot Lane across to the proposed Preston Western Distributor (a new road linking the M55 directly with the A583 at Riversway).

The link road would join the Western Distributor at the point where Sidgreaves Lane and Lea Lane come together close to the Sadler Inn public house.

A map of the proposed road, showing a 100m boundary of the route

A report by Jacobs for the county council says the road is needed to avoid peak hour congestion in the city and give easier access westwards without needing to use narrow country lanes.

As part of the transport masterplan for the city and funding from the CityDeal – a £434m injection into major infrastructures – a new railway station in the Cottam area would also need the link road to be built.

If approved, the link road is due to finished by mid 2017.

See what’s involved in the City Deal and when it is due to happen.

You can see the report on the city council website.

What do you think about the route of the link road? Do you live in the area? Let us know in the comments below