Crickley Hill and the A417 Road Improvement Scheme

6 June 2023

Start of Preparatory Works

Preparatory work has started on the A417 ahead of the main construction phase due to start in October 2023. 

Journey times to Crickley Hill may be affected at various times.

Please check the National Highways website for live updates.

16 November 2022

The Secretary of State has granted development consent for the A417 Missing Link road scheme

Cotswolds National Landscape, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust have worked collaboratively to help National Highways move towards a genuinely landscape-led road scheme. Our engagement has resulted in positive changes but we remain disappointed that the scheme will not deliver overall biodiversity net gain. 

More information is available on the National Highways website.

There is now a six week period during which the decision can be challenged.

Our full statement is as follows:

'We note the decision has been made to move ahead with the A417 ‘Missing Link’ road scheme, addressing long standing traffic and safety concerns.

Cotswolds National Landscape, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust have worked collaboratively to help National Highways move towards a genuinely landscape-led road scheme that can deliver a lasting, beneficial legacy for the Cotswolds landscape, its wildlife, people and history.

Our engagement has resulted in positive changes and, whilst we recognise efforts from National Highways to improve protections for wildlife, we remain disappointed that the scheme will not deliver overall biodiversity net gain.

We are passionate about our role in protecting the natural beauty, diverse wildlife and unique heritage of this important landscape. We will continue to engage with National Highways to ensure the protections set out in the planning application (DCO) are delivered, and to identify additional opportunities to improve the outcomes for nature and people.'

16 May 2022

End of examination phase

The examination phase of the planning application (Development Consent Order or DCO) for the A417 Missing Link has now closed. The Examining Authority will now prepare its report and submit a recommendation to the Secretary of State within the next three months. The Secretary of State then has a further three months to make his decision on the scheme.

14 December 2021

Written representation submitted

We’ve submitted our full Written Representation, outlining the Trust’s position on the A417 road scheme and remaining areas of concern, to the Examining Authority. Examination hearings will take place from January 2022.

Our written representation reiterated our three principal matters (see 31 August update) and other matters relating to the significance of the landscape (the natural environment and cultural heritage).

Supported by a report from the University of Gloucestershire, we maintain that the historic landscape in which the proposed scheme will sit has not been property understood, and the impact on the landscape has been underestimated. Key historic assets have also not been properly understood. We call for improved mitigation.

Download and read the full statement 

31 August 2021

PINS Interested Party registration completed

We’ve now registered with the Planning Inspectorate as an Interested Party, to continue our engagement with the A417 Missing Link road scheme examination process. To register, all parties had to submit a Relevant Representation outlining a brief summary of position.

The principal matters outstanding from the Trust’s perspective include:

1. Highways England’s assessment of the predicted impact on Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake SSSI during construction and operation,
2. that a holistic approach should be taken for scheme mitigation that overlays cultural heritage, historic environment, and natural environment to understand the significance of the landscape and therefore, mitigation proportionate to the significance, and
3. the approach to biodiversity net gain and delivering best possible outcomes for nature.

Download and read the full Relevant Representation

30 June 2021

A417 ‘Missing Link’ road scheme accepted for examination: our response

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) announced on 29 June 2021 that an application for the A417 'Missing Link' road scheme has been accepted for examination.

The National Trust has engaged with Highways England about its plans for a road scheme to ease traffic congestion on the A417 since it was first proposed. Although this engagement has resulted in positive changes, there are still opportunities to ensure the design of the new road meets the landscape-led vision, objectives and design principles that have been agreed by Highways England and other stakeholders. 

The road scheme must not only address safety and congestion issues but also bring the best outcomes for local communities and benefit the natural beauty, diverse wildlife and unique heritage of the Cotswolds National Landscape.

We are supportive of the landscape led vision of the road scheme, though we remain disappointed that the scheme still does not deliver biodiversity net gain. This means it fails to ensure wildlife habitats are in a better state than they were before the development. 

We will continue to work collaboratively with Highways England, key partners and stakeholders to unlock ways to achieve this through maximising the opportunities for biodiversity both within and outside the scheme boundary and developing landscape-scale Designated Funds initiatives to provide long-term benefit to this special landscape. We want to see a well-designed scheme delivered and remain committed to working with key partners, stakeholders, and Highways England. 

We will now examine the details of the documents submitted as part of the DCO process, to ensure that the final scheme delivers a lasting and beneficial legacy for this very special landscape, and the people and wildlife who call it home.

12 November 2020

Highways England's supplementary public consultation closes

We continue to advocate for the landscape-led road scheme set out by Highways England, emphasising the ambition to conserve and enhance the special character of the Cotswolds AONB; reconnect landscape and ecology; bring about landscape, wildlife and heritage benefits; and enhance visitor enjoyment.

Download and read our full response

13 October 2020

Our initial response to the supplementary public consultation

Highways England has opened a supplementary public consultation on revisions to the A417 Missing Link road scheme.

Our response: Collectively, the Cotswolds Conservation Board (operating as Cotswolds National Landscape), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust are encouraged by recent discussions with Highways England and believe that the proposed changes in this second statutory consultation have the potential to improve the scheme.

However, Highways England are aware we still have areas of concern, including the functionality and design of some of the crossings and overbridges. The three overbridges must deliver their intended outcomes – connecting habitats via wildlife corridors and counteracting the negative impacts of the new dual carriageway on protected wildlife sites. The crossings and overbridges should also be visually in tune with the special characteristics of the Cotswolds landscape.

We share concerns about the impact on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, in particular high priority habitats (such as lowland calcareous grassland). Careful design and mitigation can help to reduce biodiversity losses but we are encouraging Highways England go further and seek biodiversity net gain.

The organisations remain committed to constructive discussions with Highways England. We support the need to resolve safety and congestion issues but believe equal consideration should be given to reducing and mitigating environmental impacts as to engineering design. This would help to ensure the right level of protection for the natural beauty, diverse wildlife and unique heritage of the Cotswolds.

It is essential that the scheme brings benefits for people, the landscape and wildlife at a time when the importance of nature and outdoor green space has become clearer and more precious than ever. Highways England has a real opportunity to deliver on their landscape-led vision, meet the Government’s call to ‘build better, build greener’ and honour the Prime Minister’s renewed commitment to support the recovery of nature.

Each organisation will now closely examine the details published today and submit full individual responses in due course.

12 August 2020

Our joint response to Highways England's revised proposals for the A417 Missing Link

Together with our partners at the Cotswolds Conservation Board, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Natural England, we have outlined our response to Highways England’s changes to the A417 Missing Link road scheme. 

As a group, we would like to see the following improvements:
1. People – as well as creating a safer, less congested route, people should have more opportunity to explore and enjoy this outstanding landscape, its ecology and heritage. Existing footpaths and rights of way must be improved so they are accessible for all and new recreational opportunities developed for local communities and visitors.

2. Landscape – to achieve the landscape-led vision, the revised scheme should include mitigation to minimise the adverse impact of new infrastructure, reverse biodiversity net loss, and strengthen landscape connectivity. Equal care should be paid to mitigation measures as to planning requirements.

3. Wildlife – Highways England should maximise opportunities for nature to thrive. Protecting irreplaceable habitats and providing relevant connections so that species can travel across the landscape will avoid negative impacts on biodiversity, strengthen ecological resilience and enhance the special environment of the Cotswolds AONB. Gloucestershire’s economy and people’s quality of life depends upon the health of its natural assets and yet they are declining at unprecedented rate.

12 August 2020

Our position on Highways England's concept of a green bridge

Highways England are currently amending their designs for the A417 Missing Link based on stakeholder feedback. They have set out the key areas for review, ahead of a second public consultation later this year.

One of the proposed revisions involves finding an alternative solution to the green bridge. The changes suggested are positive: in addition to protecting the woodland at Crickley Hill, they include an access bridge between Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake and a second link that connects the Cotswold Way National Trail and the Gloucestershire Way, as well as opportunities to connect important wildlife habitats and cultural heritage sites near the Shab Hill junction. 

However, there is no doubt that a green bridge in the right location would help to deliver against the scheme objectives and be an effective way of mitigating the environmental impact of the road.

Since the non-statutory consultation in February 2018 when two surface options were presented, we have consistently voiced our concerns regarding the impact of the proposed road scheme and our support for effective mitigation measures. This included a green bridge in a suitable location; one that would deliver benefits for biodiversity connectivity as well as providing solutions for people and access.

However, it was only when Highways England carried out a landowner acquisition consultation with directly impacted landowners in February 2020, that the full extent of land take required for the construction of the green bridge, and the fact that it needed to be clear felled, was presented.

Positively, our engagement with Highways England lead to the consideration of other, more suitable locations for a green bridge, as well as an agreement to include an access bridge between Crickley Hill and Barrow Wake. 

However, Highways England decided to remove the green bridge from scheme’s redesign in favour of an access bridge near Shab Hill junction. That still has the potential to provide a crossing point for both people and wildlife if designed well.

Prev: August 2020Next: June 2020

1 June 2020

Highways England announce further design and development work

Following public consultation work in autumn 2019, Highways England are carrying out further design and development work on some elements of the A417 Missing Link road scheme. 

That means they need more time before submitting a Development Consent Order (DCO or planning application), which they now expect to do in 2021. 

Alongside partner organisations, we will continue to work with Highways England as they seek a truly landscape-led solution that is appropriate to the special setting of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

11 March 2020

Budget 2020 Announcement

The Budget 2020 (11 March) included an announcement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, that the Government has committed funds to the A417 ‘Missing Link’ road scheme. 

This is a positive step towards resolving the problems caused by the existing road and we will continue to work alongside our partner organisations to help Highways England develop a landscape-led scheme which properly considers the natural beauty of the Cotswolds landscape and brings positive outcomes for wildlife, heritage and visitors. 

Current understanding is that Highways England will submit a planning application (Development Consent Order) at the end of April 2020.

Prev: June 2020Next: November 2019