Aim

To support future development, traffic growth and unlock housing by undertaking road network improvements.

The Headlines

  • Investment: £12m Local Growth Fund & £1.8m Getting Building Fund
  • Project Sponsors: Leicestershire County Council
  • Start date: July 2019
  • Status: Practical Completion

“We welcome this significant investment which will enable considerable improvements to be made to the road network on and around junction 23 of the M1 at Loughborough. This should help reap huge economic benefits for the area.”

– Councillor Nick Rushton, leader of Leicestershire County Council

This multi-million-pound project will deliver junction and road improvements to the M1 at Junction J23 / A512 increasing capacity and easing congestion.  This will enable the unlocking of land for a significant number of new homes, employment opportunities and support planned growth in Loughborough and the surrounding area.

The project involves upgrading single carriageway road to dual carriageway and the remodelling of five junctions on the A512, along with further improvements to the motorway junction.

By reducing congestion and improving accessibility the scheme will improve resilience on the key route linking Loughborough with the M1 and the wider Strategic Road Network.

The project supports the development of the Loughborough and Leicester Enterprise Zone, Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) and Charnwood Campus bringing job and business opportunities to the area. Specifically, it will improve access to LUSEP subsequently aiding delivery at the science park and benefitting the wider economy.

The project will provide essential infrastructure that supports the developments at the West of Loughborough ‘Sustainable Urban Extension’ and Shepshed housing sites. These include around 4,000 homes and up to 5,700 jobs.

Originally part-funded through the Local Growth Fund, the scheme secured additional funding through the Getting Building Fund to enable accelerated delivery.

Project Outcomes

  • New homes – 4,000
  • New jobs – 5,700
  • New road – 3.675km
  • Widening of the A512 between M1 J23 and the waste transfer site
  • 5km of cumulative dualling east and west of J23
  • New direct jobs – 889
  • Unlocked housing units – 2,600