A PUBLIC inquiry into plans to compulsory purchase land for the £34.5 million Stubbington Bypass will start today (Monday), as just a single objector remains to the plans.

Hampshire County Council wants to buy the land so it can build the 3.5km road to alleviate traffic congestion in the area.

But now the Department for Transport will be asking the public for its views, as it considers the objection of just one local resident.

Members of the public are invited to the event at 10am on Monday, November 26, which is being held at The Solent Hotel & Spa, Rookery Avenue, Whiteley.

Councillor Rob Humby, environment and transport boss at the authority, said: “Hampshire County Council officers have been working to progress the scheme to build a bypass at Stubbington, and have completed the detailed design, undertaken procurement, and carried out advance ecological, archaeological and environmental works.

“In order to minimise the risk of delays to this important local scheme and in accordance with the statutory process, the County Council opened negotiations with landowners to secure all the necessary land at the same time as an application was made for a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and a Side Road Order (SRO) 2018.

“A single objection remains to the SRO and as such the Department for Transport have determined that a public inquiry is necessary. Members of the public are free to attend the Inquiry where the objection will be discussed in detail.

“Full details can be found on the Public Notice accessed via the link below: Stubbington Bypass CPO & SRO Public Inquiry. Hampshire County Council will be supplying evidence to the Inquiry and will await the outcome in due course.”

Situated to the south of Fareham and the north-west of Stubbington, it is also hoped that the road will support long-term plans for regeneration and economic development, including improved access to Gosport and the Enterprise Zone at Daedalus.

The project will be funded jointly by Hampshire County Council contributing £8.5m and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership who will pass on £25.7 million to the project.

Cllr Humby added: “The council has made a commitment to the people of Gosport and Stubbington to improve traffic and travel in South Hampshire and enable long term plans for development and regeneration to come forward.

“The Stubbington Bypass is the final piece of a £100 million plus package of road and transport improvements led and implemented by Hampshire County Council in recent years, including the newly opened Newgate Lane South with Peel Common Roundabout, improvements to the A27 and the imminent BRT Eclipse extension.”