A £40 million relief road to ease congestion at a notorious level crossing could be up and running by the end of 2026.

That is the latest timeframe provided by Kent County Council for the Sturry Link Road scheme which will have been in the pipeline for a decade by completion.

The highway is designed to remove the need for traffic on the A28 and A291 to cross the level crossing at Sturry near Canterbury.

The scheme consists of a viaduct over the River Stour connecting the A28 to the south and a proposed housing development to the north.

KCC papers state: "The earliest date envisaged for construction of the Link Road is April 2025 but that will be significantly influenced by satisfactory progress of land negotiation and statutory orders, as well as the programme of housing delivered by the contributing development sites at Sturry, Broad Oak and North Hersden."

The current completion date is December 2026.

Compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to obtain land for the Sturry Link Road project were granted earlier this summer.

But inflationary pressures are being blamed for the costs rising by about £12m.

Some members raised concerns that much of the funding is through developer contributions, or section 106 agreements.

Members of the KCC scrutiny committee, who met on Wednesday (September 13), were informed in papers: "No KCC capital or revenue is being sought as the scheme is externally funded.

"It has been awarded £5.9m Local Growth Fund (LGF) by South East Local Enterprise Partnership. Developer contributions to the value of £34.3m have been identified to fund the project.

"Of these, £30.8m have been secured by section 106 agreements. The remainder has been committed through other section 106 agreements that can be reassigned to the Sturry Link Road. This gives a total funding pot of £40.2m."

Around £7.5m has been put aside already.

But Cllr Harry Rayner, who is deputy cabinet member for finance, warned KCC was taking a "huge gamble" in relying on section 106 money.

Senior KCC officer for transport Simon Jones said the planning permissions have built-in "secondary provision" through bonds and there are "trigger points" at which the project could be shelved.

Highways cabinet member Cllr Neil Baker said: "We all have concerns about the system of developer contributions in this country. It's not a good system."

The highway and viaduct bridge is designed to link the A291 Sturry Hill, running as far as Herne Bay, to midway down the A28 Sturry Road.

Cllr Alister Brady questioned the need for a bridge describing it as a "sledgehammer to crack a nut".

Although it is a KCC-led scheme, it is supported by Canterbury City Council which needs it to deliver its adopted Local Plan and meet its five-year housing growth plans.

KCC papers state: “Growth proposed to the north east of Canterbury will put additional strain on an already highly constrained network.

‘The earliest date envisaged for construction of the Link Road is April 2025 but that will be significantly influenced by satisfactory progress of land negotiation...’

“It is, therefore, crucial that the Sturry Link Road progress to relieve the congestion and unlocking development.”

Rare, endangered or protected species such as bats, badgers, beavers, great crested newts and otters will be taken into account when the project gets underway.

Canterbury City Council (CCC), as the local planning authority, is now able to "consider opportunities to increase housing and business growth in the surrounding area”.

The new road would run alongside new housing developments planned for the former Greenfields Shooting Grounds, with the viaduct to take cars over both the River Stour and the railway.

The Greenfields site was shut in late 2021 with planning consent for 600 homes to be built at Sturry Hill with more than 400 extra on nearby land at Broad Oak.

A CCC spokesman said: "The Sturry Link Road is an important project for the area as set out in the existing Canterbury District Transport Plan, supporting much-needed new homes and helping to relieve congestion at the Sturry level crossing."

Members of the scrutiny committee asked for the scheme to be referred to KCC's cabinet for further examination of the finances.