Banwell bypass

We have plans for a new road to bypass the village of Banwell.

The bypass will be funded by Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund.

It will help to:

• reduce traffic congestion through Banwell
• make roads safer for active travel
• reduce noise
• improve air quality

The bypass will also open up further areas of land for travel and housing. This will provide access to a greater range of jobs for local communities. We will also have space to build new and affordable homes for growing families (subject to the Local Plan).

We have appointed Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd to design the scheme.

We are working to meet eight key project objectives:

• improve the local road network to deal with existing congestion issues
• improve and enhance Banwell’s public spaces by reducing traffic and improving the public realm
• provide the opportunity to increase active and sustainable travel between local villages and Weston-super-Mare
• provide infrastructure that can enable future housing development (subject to the Local Plan)
• ensure the development respects the local area and minimises visual impact upon the surrounding countryside and Mendip Hills AONB
• be innovative and efficient in reducing and offsetting carbon from the design and construction of the project
• ensure the development provides the opportunity to increase bio-diversity net gain by at least 10%
• proactively engage with stakeholders in a way that is both clear and transparent

Our second public consultation on the Banwell bypass ran between Thursday 10 March and Friday 22 April 2022 and has now closed. We are now analysing the consultation results and will share them with you in the coming weeks.

The consultation asked for your feedback on the design of the bypass, as well as proposed changes and enhancements to nearby roads and villages.

You can still find the consultation booklets and bypass plans online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/bypass2022.

The booklets include the design we consulted upon, along with proposals for new walking, cycling and horse-riding routes, ways we can boost biodiversity and reduce carbon and more.

You can also find answers to some key questions, local issues and other concerns on our Banwell bypass: local issues and answers page.

In the meantime, you can read the Council’s recommendation to take forward ‘Northern Route Two’, the Options Appraisal Report (OAR) and the first public consultation report on our September 2021 executive member decisions page.

You can still access the first consultation webpages and supporting documents online here.