Questionnaires are being sent out to addresses within a 300m radius of the Lowestoft Third Crossing project.

Eastern Daily Press: Suffolk County Councillor Guy McGregor with Colin Beaumont and Andrew Pearce. as preparation works started at the Lowestoft Third Crossing site earlier this year. PHOTO: Nick ButcherSuffolk County Councillor Guy McGregor with Colin Beaumont and Andrew Pearce. as preparation works started at the Lowestoft Third Crossing site earlier this year. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: �archant2017)

Suffolk County Council has been awarded £73.4m by the Department for Transport to construct a long-awaited bridge across Lake Lothing, due to open in 2022.

The project has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and the council is proposing to make an application for development consent to the Secretary of State for Transport later this year.

As part of the preparation for the application, the council needs to identify and consult directly with those with an interest in land/property near the scheme.

A Land Interest Questionnaire (LIQ), prepared by Mouchel – a specialist land referencing consultancy who will be collating and verifying information on land ownership on behalf of the county council – is being sent out to addresses on Monday.

The LIQ allows residents and businesses to confirm the information already collected, identify any changes to land ownership and tell the council about any other interests that others may hold over the land, so they can also be contacted.

A council spokesman said the information will enable them to provide local people with further details and opportunities to comment as the project progresses.

The estimated total cost for the third crossing comes to around £90m.

Ground investigation works started in the Riverside Road area in January this year to assess where piers for the bridge would go.

A public consultation on the plans is due to be held in the summer, ahead of the application being submitted at the end of the year. It is hoped that a decision will be reached by spring 2019, with construction due to start the same year.

Speaking earlier this year, Guy McGregor, county councillor with lead responsibility for the crossing, said: 'All the procedures have to be spot on. I know people have been waiting for a long time but there's no doubt in my mind this will happen.'

Anyone with queries relating to the project can contact Suffolk County Council on 0345 603 1842 or email LakeLothing3rdCrossing@suffolk.gov.uk You can also visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/lakelothing3rdcrossing for more information.