A new M5 motorway junction is set to be constructed between Burnham-On-Sea and Bridgwater to provide a key link to Somerset’s new gigafactory.
The location of the new M5 junction – which has been dubbed Junction 22A – has been shown during a public exhibition on revised plans for the huge new development.
Burnham-On-Sea.com initially reported here last June about the likelihood of a new junction being built as part of the £150m Gravity locality investment plan, which is designed to deliver vital infrastructure in and around a £4bn gigafactory between Puriton and Woolavington.
The developer, Agratas, recently published revised plans for the first phase of the gigafactory, including the first stage of a ring road which will eventually link the new motorway junction to Enterprise Way.
These plans have confirmed the approximate location of the new junction – with National Highways stating that it intends to deliver it “at the earliest opportunity”.
Agratas’ plans for the junction went on public display at a drop-in event held at Woolavington Village Hall last week.
The proposed junction at 22A will be constructed immediately to the north of the former freight line which once served the Gravity site (and which could eventually be restored as more of the gigafactory development comes online).
The junction’s location is constrained by the proximity of the Huntspill River and the nearby nature reserve, which runs along the Gravity site’s northern boundary.
In light of these constraints – and to reduce cost – junction 22A will only serve southbound traffic coming to the gigafactory, with one slip road on the southbound site taking cars to the site from Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and Highbridge, and one northbound slip road returning them to the northbound M5.
This means that traffic wishing to access the site from the south (i.e. from Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington) will continue to use junction 23 and follow Enterprise Way to the southern entrance.
National Highways, which is responsible for maintaining and upgrading England’s motorway network, said the exact design and layout would be confirmed within the early design work, and it was “looking to deliver this scheme at the earliest opportunity.”
Regional delivery director, Colin Bird, says: “Due to the committed future development expected in the Bridgwater, Puriton and surrounding areas, we are exploring ways to support this growth and the impact to our roads.”
“We are working with the government to explore opportunities, including a new junction, to alleviate additional pressure on the M5 between junctions 22 and 23. As plans develop, we will engage with local stakeholders to ensure they are informed of proposals and how it may impact them.”
National Highways has not confirmed how much it will cost to deliver the new junction.
Under the Gravity locality investment plan, up to £74m will be spent on “strategic site access and movement” projects, which will include the new motorway junction, the ring road around the Gravity site and possibly restoring the rail link.
Public engagement events on the draft proposals are expected before the end of the year when residents and businesses will be able to give their feedback before formal plans are submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT), reports the local democracy reporting service.
