Major milestones reached for £122.8 million Isham bypass scheme

06 August 2024

Building a £122.8 million dual carriageway bypass for the North Northamptonshire village of Isham has taken a step closer with the submission of a planning application for the scheme.

The plans will now go through the regular planning application process and consultation before being heard before a North Northamptonshire Council planning committee at a later date.

The move will be followed with the submission of an outline business case to the Department for Transport with the information they require to agree continued funding of the scheme.

Late last year the previous Government announced that it would fully fund the build costs of the 3.75km road, which will not only alleviate congestion in Isham but also help unlock economic growth in the area.

We’re fully committed to getting this very important project built. Submitting the planning application and the outline business case are two very important steps forward and I’m delighted that things are progressing.

I appreciate that the scheme has been on the wish list of local residents for a very long time and we’re determined to make this a reality for them.

The project has so many benefits not just for the local residents but more widely in unlocking the potential for growth and the associated economic spin offs from that.Cllr Matt Binley, the Council’s Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets

The A509 Isham Bypass forms the first part of a strategy to dual the whole A509 between the A14 south of Kettering and the A45 at Wellingborough.

If planning permission is granted and the outline business case is approved, a full business case would then have to be submitted to the Department for Transport.
The current timeline is for construction to start in Spring 2027 with an opening date of September 2028.

We’re doing everything we can to progress this essential scheme as quickly as we can and I’m thrilled that we’re now reaching two major milestones.

So many people have worked so hard over the years to move this project on and I’m grateful for their support. In my previous role as lead Member for Highways at the former county council, this was a key project for me and one I was determined to move forward.

This project is one of our major priorities as a council and I’m determined that we see it through to completion.Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council