Visualisations show final plans for Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford as planning applications are submitted

£81 million Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package includes walking, cycling, bus and Park and Ride improvements to encourage safer, greener and healthier travel.

Residents have been given a glimpse of final plans to transform a vital gateway in Chelmsford after Essex County Council released a series of computer-generated images.

The proposed Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package includes a hamburger roundabout (a new roundabout with a road through the centre of it) at the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford.

It also includes bus priority measures and walking and cycling improvements at the junction itself and on the approaches to and from the roundabout.

Essex County Council has worked closely with partners and the local community to develop its proposals, with the hamburger roundabout residents’ preferred option during public consultation.

Having now developed the plans in more detail, the latest visualisations show how the area will look once the scheme is constructed. The images have been published to coincide with planning applications being submitted for the project.

The Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package will also see a 350-space expansion of Sandon Park and Ride and a 500-space expansion of Chelmer Valley Park and Ride.

In October last year, the Department for Transport confirmed the outline business case for the project had been approved and Essex County Council would be awarded £68.75million of Major Road Network (MRN) funding, subject to planning consent, a full business case and certain conditions being met.

The £81 million project is also being part funded by Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council.

Councillor Lesley Wagland OBE, Essex County Council’s Deputy to the Leader with principal accountabilities on Major Infrastructure Projects and Freeports, said: “We are delighted to have reached another milestone for what will be a truly transformational project for Chelmsford.

“After a huge amount of hard work assessing options, developing our proposals and securing conditional funding for the scheme, it is fantastic to have now submitted planning applications.

“The Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package will deliver enormous benefits; improving journey times, reducing delays and supporting economic growth in the area.

“We also need to provide better options for people to travel, especially for shorter journeys where we want walking or cycling to be the natural choice. This project will do just that, helping encourage people to travel in and around the city in safer, greener, and healthier ways.”

Vicky Ford MP, Member of Parliament for Chelmsford, said: “Chelmsford is a growing and thriving city and deserves first class infrastructure. Tackling the long-standing issue with the Army and Navy Junction is an absolute priority.

“Plans for the Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package, including the new junction, took a huge step forward when we were able to secure the £68.75 million in funding from the Government in November.

“I am delighted that the planning applications have now been submitted. This is excellent news for people all across Chelmsford. The scheme will reduce congestion and boost economic growth across our city.”

Councillor Stephen Robinson, Leader of Chelmsford City Council, said: “The submission of the planning applications for the Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package is a welcome next stage in the delivery of the scheme.

“The City Council is pleased to see the project is making progress to address the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and bus users right across Chelmsford, as well as cars and other vehicles.”

Based on calculations made for the outline business case, average journey times through the Army and Navy junction once the scheme is in place are modelled to be 44% quicker for cyclists, 40% for buses, 53% for motorised vehicles and 11% quicker for people walking through the junction at ground level.

Three separate planning applications – one for the Army and Navy junction and one each for the Park and Ride expansions – have been submitted for the project, with decisions on the applications anticipated in the Spring based on statutory timeframes.

As part of the planning process, people will have a 21-day period to comment on the applications.

The plans can be accessed via the Essex County Council planning website at: https://planning.essex.gov.uk/.

For more information about the Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package and to sign up for the project e-newsletter, please visit www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.