UP TO £80,000 could be spent on a transport assessment for the new hi-tech business park at Martlesham Heath.

By Jessica Nicholls

P12 lead for mt

By Jessica Nicholls

East reporter

Jessica.nicholls@ecng.co.uk

UP TO £80,000 could be spent on a transport assessment for the new hi-tech business park at Martlesham Heath.

A ten year project should see around 135 acres of a greenfield site to the south of BT's Adastral Park earmarked for research and development offices, known as the Suffolk Innovation Park.

Thousands of jobs are to be created as a result of the hi-tech business cluster but residents in both Martlesham and Kesgrave raised major concerns about traffic problems.

They said that they wanted existing traffic problems on the A12 cleared up before the park got underway.

Rush hour traffic is often at a standstill on the BT roundabout of the A12, which has a knock on effect throughout surrounding roads of Kesgrave and Martlesham.

Traffic lights at the roundabout to ease the congestion had been considered and now a full transport assessment of the area looks set to be carried out.

The assessment will look at how the transport needs and issues arising from further major development within the area covered by the Supplementary Planning Guidance could be met with estimated costs.

The East of England Development Agency is prepared to meet 40 per cent of the cost of the assessment and 50 per cent of the costs are to be met by the private sector members of the partnership.

Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk County Council are to add the remaining £8,000.

The County Council has already confirmed that they will contribute £4,000 and Suffolk Coastal Economic Development and European Issues sub committee is to discuss the matter next Wednesday.