The New Eastern Villages (NEV) is one of the largest greenfield developments in the country, and we want to keep you updated as work progresses.

As a subscriber, this newsletter will drop into your inbox every month and will contain everything you need to know about the development and the accompanying roadworks. An option to unsubscribe from receiving future editions is available at the foot of every newsletter.

There are 14 people in our dedicated New Eastern Villages team. They have been working on this project for a number of years and are experts in their respective fields.

In each newsletter edition we will introduce you to one of them.

Cllr Gary Sumner is the Cabinet Member responsible for the NEV.

In this video he gives an update on how work at the White Hart roundabout is progressing.

A419 slip road closure - White Hart

The A419 southbound exit slip road was closed for seven weeks on Monday, 12 October.

This is to allow the construction of an embankment retaining wall, which will enable the slip road to be widened to four lanes, while new drainage, kerbs, signs and lighting will also be added.

Now into its third week, we are pleased to report that this work is progressing well and the workforce is continuing to follow social distancing measures.

The roundabout is still open and signed diversions are in place.

Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3nBhaUO

In this video, the workforce is driving in reinforced steel joist beams along the A419 slip road.

If you have any questions or concerns about this scheme, please feel free to contact the team via email: whitehart.junction@osborne.co.uk or wwhj@swindon.gov.uk.

Should you need it, the emergency number for White Hart junction construction work and traffic management is 07899 751807.

Ermin Street reconstruction

From Monday, 9 November, we will begin the reconstruction of Ermin Street. This is necessary to widen the road to create more capacity.

This work is expected to take three weeks to complete and will be carried out between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

We will be reconstructing Ermin Street between Oxford Road and the railway bridge. For safety reasons, we will need to close the road to through-traffic while the reconstruction is carried out.

A signed diversion route via Swindon Road and Grange Drive will be in place throughout.

Access to properties will be maintained at all times and residents are advised to take care when passing through the working area.

Contractors soon to be appointed for other schemes

As well as work at the White Hart roundabout, improvements are also planned at Gablecross roundabout, the Oxford Road/Nythe Road junction and Piccadilly roundabout.

We are currently carrying out preferred bidder checks and the contractors for these schemes will be announced in next month's newsletter.

Pictures (from left to right): Gablecross roundabout, Oxford Road/Nythe Road junction and Piccadilly roundabout

We are pleased to announce that work to deliver the Southern Connector Road can go ahead as expected.

The Council’s Southern Connector Road Compulsory Purchase Order 2019 was confirmed by the Secretary of State in March this year. Due to COVID restrictions it has taken some time for the Council to be in a legal position to notify all of the landowners affected. This has now taken place and no legal challenge has been made. The order now has legal effect and the Council intends to proceed with acquiring the land set out in the order.

Extensive negotiations were carried out by the Council with landowners before the order was made and the Council will make sure that landowners receive everything that has been agreed as part of those negotiations.

This is very good news for Swindon as it means that the Southern Connector Road can now be delivered as expected, with work due to start in early 2021 and to be completed by August 2022.

The Southern Connector Road is a key part of the infrastructure required to deliver the New Eastern Villages development which is expected to deliver over 8,000 new dwellings, new employment opportunities, schools and other infrastructure.