A NEW multi-million pound infrastructure project being led by Homes England is now under way in Alton.

The works on the A339/B3004 junction at Butts Bridge are considered by planners to be “essential” in order to unlock sites to facilitate more than 500 new homes, split between Borovere Farm on the Selborne Road and the former Treloar Hospital site off Chawton Park Road.

The infrastructure works will include highway improvements, comprising a new road across the Chawton triangle to link Winchester Road to the first of two new roundabouts, needed to provide access to Borovere Farm, plus a replacement roundabout to serve both bridges, and the replacement of historic Butts Bridge with a wider steel railway bridge to facilitate improved traffic flow across the top of The Butts.

At the former Lord Mayor Treloar hospital site, owned by Homes England, its selected development partner Crest Nicholson will provide 280 new homes, including 56 affordable homes and a country park.

The Borovere Farm site, which is controlled by Harvington Properties, will deliver a further 243 new homes.

Reserved matters applications for both sites have now been submitted to East Hampshire District Council.

Paul Fittern, a director of Harvington Properties said: “The development represents the culmination of a superb collaborative effort on the part of both the public and private sectors.

“The delivery of the infrastructure and progression of the two development sites under a joint planning consent has resulted from many years of working in collaboration with local land owners and Mid Hants Railway (which owns the bridge).”

Kevin Bourner, general manager at Homes England said: “Homes England has taken the lead in delivering the infrastructure needed to bring forward the delivery of more than 500 homes. This is a great example of partnership working, with Homes England engaging with land owners and other partners to facilitate the development of these key housing sites.

“With the infrastructure now under way we are looking forward to working with our development partner Crest Nicholson to take our plans for the Lord Mayor Treloar site forward.”

Being carried out by Knights Brown on behalf of Homes England, work on the replacement road and the first roundabout is currently under way, with work on the bridge itself not expected to start until the new year when a one-way system is expected to be introduced for those wanting to access and leave the south end of town using the A31/32.