A MULTI-MILLION pound project aimed at improving a busy Hampshire road and reducing the impact of a £1bn redevelopment scheme has been given the green light.

A number of junctions along the A326 between Dibden and Fawley Waterside and on the B3053 will be upgraded as part of a £8m project.

The news comes as the site of the old Fawley power station is set to be transformed with 1,500 new homes plus a large amount of commercial, employment and community space.

Now county bosses have pledged to widen the A326 at different points in a bid to improve traffic flow.

According to the plans, approaches and exit lanes at Holbury Roundabout, Hardley Roundabout, Dibden Purlieu Roundabout, Applemore Roundabout and Dibden Roundabout will be widened.

A signalised junction has been proposed at the junction of Blackfield Road, Church lane and the B3053 while a new southbound right-turn ghost island including new pedestrian crossing facilities will be created between the A326 and Holbury Drove.

The junction between the A326 and Southbourne Avenue will also be improved.

The work will be done in two phases and is expected to be completed by August 2021.

Improvements at Holbury Roundabout, Hardley Roundabout, Applemore Roundabout and Dibden Roundabout will be carried out between July and September 2020, when phase two will start.

The plans were approved by Cllr Rob Humby, executive member for economy, transport and environment at Hampshire County Council this afternoon (March 10).

He said: “This is about what may happen in terms of that scheme but also in terms of the area as it is. This is to improve the junction there, to improve traffic flow.”

Cllr Humby also stressed that facilities for pedestrians and cyclists will also be provided at the identified junctions.

The £8.1m scheme is expected to be funded from Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (SLEP) with £5.7m and local match funding from Fawley Waterside Limited of £2.4million.

The county council will carry out the scheme.

It comes as New Forest residents had raised concerns over the new development at the old power station site fearing it would generate traffic.

In an official document the county council said: “ The LEP funding has been sought to allow enhancement to address the existing congestion issues, coupled with the contribution from the developer, which allows the capacity to be increased further to accommodate future development traffic, should planning permission for the Fawley Waterside Development be granted.”

County bosses have also confirmed that plans to imporve the northern end of the route are currently being drawn up and will need “significant Government funding”.