 Above: the junction of Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road will be improved over the summer and early 2026
Mid-May closures at roundabout junction confirmed
Following our announcement about planned closures to support the South Wokingham Distributor Road from late July onwards, there'll also be two weekend closures in the middle of next month.
To improve and enlarge the roundabout at the junction of Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane, we'll be closing the junction on the following dates:
-
Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May - closure on Finchampstead Road (south of junction), traffic flowing between Molly Millars Lane and Finchampstead Road (north of junction) as usual
-
Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May - closure at eastern end of Molly Millars Lane, traffic flowing in both directions on Finchampstead Road as usual
Each closure is due to start at 6am on the Saturday and end at 6am on the following Monday. However, we'll aim to finish work and reopen sooner if we can.
These closures will allow our partners at Balfour Beatty to dig trenches for underground utility pipes and cables. Access to businesses and homes will be kept open at all times, and a signed diversion will be in place.
 Above: Balfour Beatty has cleared trees and hedges in readiness for works off Easthampstead Road
Other upcoming works that could affect you
Towards the end of this year, we're going to close a section of Easthampstead Road from north of the level crossing to the junction with Heathlands Road.
This is to allow work on a new road layout and junctions in this area, including the construction of a new link road to create access to new housing.
We'll be taking a closer look at this, including the expected timeframes, in a future edition of this newsletter so please watch this space.
As part of this project, we're also awaiting planning permission for improvements to the junction of Waterloo Road and Peacock Lane.
We've carried out some initial surveys to support this, which includes digging holes to map underground utilities, and checking the ground conditions and drainage.
If approved, the Peacock Lane works would also start towards the end of this year and would involve temporary lane closures on surrounding roads.
 Above: metal fencing along the site boundary at Finchampstead Road will be replaced with hoardings
Improving fencing to help keep everyone safe
Throughout the first half of this month, our partners at Balfour Beatty will be replacing metal fencing along the Tesco access road with solid boards.
The works, which will take place overnight on six different dates, will help to keep people safe as the main construction works get underway.
Nearby residents have been informed by a letter drop, though the installation will be much quieter than the recent tree and hedge clearance works.
We know the look of this area has changed a lot, but this scheme also involves a comprehensive replanting and landscaping strategy to offset the initial impact.
Has a friend or neighbour forwarded you this email? Make sure you sign up to our mailing list to get any future updates!
 Footpaths staying closed, but upgrades coming
While the new road is being built, most footpaths off Finchampstead Road will remain shut because it wouldn't be safe to let people walk through this area with an active building site so close by.
We might be able to reopen the footpath between Gypsy Lane and Ludgrove School track (footpath 10 on our map) at some point in early summer, but we can't promise anything as we need to assess whether we could do it safely.
If we are able to reopen this footpath, we’d still need time to make it safe for walking following the recent tree and hedge clearance works. We'd also need to close it again at certain points, again for safety reasons.
We know this news will be disappointing, but please be assured that there'll be good footpath access in this area once the works finish. All public rights of way will remain, with some realignments in places.
We've also closed the eastern end of the Ludgrove School access road until the autumn so that our construction traffic can cross. A temporary alternative access has been created for vehicles but it wouldn't be safe for pedestrians.
 Making our countryside accessible to everyone
This scheme includes a new and more accessible footbridge across the Emm Brook, which will be a significant improvement on the current footbridge.
This will be installed by Balfour Beatty with funding from the developers who are going to build new homes in the area.
Later on, the wider footpath network will be upgraded and resurfaced to make it suitable for use all year round, while maintaining a natural appearance.
This will be done by the housing developers themselves, and not by Balfour as part of the new road construction works.
They'll officially remain footpaths, but we've secured permissive use by cyclists so everyone can use them for local journeys as part of our active travel network.
The wider South Wokingham development also includes 40 hectares of new nature parks linked by green "corridors" to benefit people and wildlife. Keep an eye on this newsletter for an in-depth preview in the coming months.
 You can view a full-size PDF of the diagram above, as well as a wider location plan
Link road agreed to serve planned new housing
We've agreed to allow part of Waterloo Road in South Wokingham to be diverted, to enable access to the new homes which are going to be built in this area.
The works on this section will be carried out by the housing developers and aren't anything to do with our South Wokingham Distributor Road project.
Waterloo Road will be diverted further to the north between the roundabout at William Heelas Way and the junction with Peacock Lane.
This new section will have bus stops, traffic calming measures and pedestrian and cycle crossings. There'll be new side junctions to access new housing, with pedestrians and cyclists given priority when crossing.
Further details will be set through legal agreements and additional planning applications.
The existing road is narrow, with no footpaths and lined with hedges and ditches, and couldn't be upgraded without harming the local environment. It'll stay open as a quiet pedestrian and cycle route, providing access to a small number of homes.
 In case you missed it...
We've previously shared lots of useful background about this project, so please see the links below if you need to get up to speed.
|
