Protest to be staged before meeting to discuss Western Link route change

But council bosses hit back at claims there is anything "unusual" about needing to change part of the road's route.

Norfolk County Council confirmed last week a section of the 3.8 mile route, which councillors agreed in 2019, will need to be shifted eastwards, away from woodlands where protected barbastelle bats have a maternity roost.

Fakenham Road where the proposed Western Link route would join just before the roundabout. Picture: Daielle Booden (Image: Daielle Booden)

Critics of the road, to connect the A1067 Fakenham Road to the A47 near Honingham, have long highlighted concerns over the presence of bats, as had been previously identified in surveys by Wild Wings Ecology.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust fears the habitats of bats will be destroyed by the proposed Norwich Western Link. Photo credit: C. Packman (Image: C. Packman)

Emma Corlett, deputy leader of the Labour group at County Hall, last week said there were "major and fundamental questions which had not been answered".

Labour county councillor Emma Corlett (Image: Archant)

She said it was not standard that a scheme could reach such a point and have to be realigned.

However, the county council has insisted "complex" projects can need changes.

A spokesperson said: "This is not unusual and is part of the project delivery process.

"The project is still to go through its pre-planning application consultation and then planning and approvals processes, so it remains relatively early in its delivery stages.

"A recent example of project changes is the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing, currently being constructed.

"During its development stages the preferred route alignment was refined to avoid the need to demolish an existing operational warehouse building."

The spokesperson said a roundabout was also redesigned after the business case was lodged, after consultation.

At a meeting of the Conservative-controlled cabinet on Monday (March 7), councillors will hear how more work to firm up the amended route is needed. Further details and potential costs will not be revealed until June.

The council is waiting to hear if the government will provide £168m towards the road.

Meanwhile, campaigners from Norwich Extinction Rebellion and other groups will stage a protest outside County Hall on Monday.

James Harvey, Norwich Extinction Rebellion spokesman, said: "The new route will do nothing to protect the bat colony, and will still destroy ancient woodland and rare chalk stream habitat."

James Harvey, spokesman for Norwich Extinction Rebellion. (Image: Archant)

There are two petitions about the road. One, set up in January in supporters of the scheme, has been signed by more than 4,600 people.

And one set up in 2019, by opponents, has garnered more than 9,000 signatures.