HAMPSHIRE County Council have confirmed they will still consider building the Camrose link road in the future if funding becomes available.

The news comes after Hampshire County councillor Stephen Reid revealed that the Camrose link road option for the Brighton Hill roundabout will not be built.

This is despite permission being granted for 85 dwellings and a 70-bedroom care home to be built on the Camrose football stadium site after an inspector approved the developer's appeals.

SEE MORE: Hampshire County Council will not build Camrose link road despite building going ahead on stadium ground

The link road was intended to reduce the load on the Brighton Hill roundabout, improve its traffic-light operations and increase its ability to cope with the traffic created by thousands of new homes being built in the area. It was an addition to the £20 million improvements now being carried out.

The council have confirmed that although they can’t build the link road now, it is not ruled out for the future.

Councillor Cllr Edward Heron, Hampshire County Council’s executive lead member for transport and environment strategy, said: “Firstly, I’d like to make it clear that while the County Council is not able to deliver a link road at the current time, we are still considering a Link Road in the longer term, subject to securing sufficient funding.

“Unfortunately, planning permission was refused by the borough council for the housing development which would have enabled us to implement a Brighton Hill roundabout improvement scheme which incorporated this link road. Because we were then unable to deliver the wider scheme within the deadline for spending the approved Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (EM3 LEP) funding, we had to redesign the Brighton Hill scheme without the Camrose Link Road in order to retain this funding.

“Following further negotiations with the EM3 LEP, we agreed to implement a revised improvement scheme at Brighton Hill Roundabout for easing congestion, with some additional measures to improve access for cyclists and pedestrians but without the Link Road and with fewer traffic capacity benefits and as a consequence, we were required to return some of the funding secured to deliver the wider scheme.”

As reported previously Cllr Stephen Reid is disappointed about the news.

READ MORE: Brighton Hill murder: Four arrested after man in his 30s dies

He said: "I welcome the £20 million investment now under way. It will significantly improve traffic flows. The Camrose link road would have been the icing on the cake, and that is not now going to happen.

“The decision not to build the link road may well increase the need for alternative solutions like a western by-pass. This will become part of my campaign to ensure this part of the Borough continues to get the investment it needs."

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