A proposed new £84m bypass near a Norfolk town has been handed a multi-million-pound boost.

The West Winch Access Road, near King's Lynn, is to get more than £18.4m towards its price tag, to the delight of council bosses.

Norfolk County Council has applied to its own planning committee for permission to build the road, which would serve 4,000 new homes planned in the area.

The Conservative-controlled council is still waiting to hear whether the government will contribute almost £67m towards the bill for the road, which would link the A10 and A47.

But the scheme has been bolstered by the announcement that Homes England - the government's housing and regeneration agency - will provide £18.4m for the road.

Eastern Daily Press: A graphic showing the proposed route of the West Winch Access RoadA graphic showing the proposed route of the West Winch Access Road (Image: West Norfolk council)

David Allfrey, Norfolk County Council's interim director for highways, transport and waste, said: "This funding is a major piece of the puzzle and will help us to continue moving this project forward."

The road would connect the two major A roads, via a new 1.5-mile road, which would start to the south of Gravelhill Lane in West Winch and would join the A47 before it reaches the Hardwick junction.

READ MORE: Revealed: £47m spent on road which might never be built

Oliver Judges, West Norfolk Council's executive director for place, said: “The importance of this news to the scheme cannot be overstated."

There have long been calls for the access road to be built before the thousands of new homes are constructed, to stop roads being clogged by extra traffic.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk county councillor Alexandra KempNorfolk county councillor Alexandra Kemp

Alexandra Kemp, independent county councillor for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South, said: "I welcome Homes England funding announcement. But you have to realise, this project costs £84m and the government has yet to fund its share.

"There is no way at all that any more development can start on the congested, accident-vulnerable A10 until all the funding for the bypass is there and the bypass is fully built."

If permission is granted and funding secured, it is hoped work on the bypass will start in spring or summer 2025, with the road opening two years later.

The planning application was submitted at the end of last year and people can have their say at eplanning.norfolk.gov.uk/Planning/Display/FUL/2024/0001.