Resubmitted M40 Junction 11 plans include road improvements

The changes, submitted to Cherwell District Council, include removing the proposed hotel, reducing the size of the warehouse, reducing the size of the development by 27,000sqft, and separate accesses for offices and motorway services from the A361.

Also proposed are extra highways improvements which now include signalisation of the A422 Hennef Way eastbound approach and the A361; widening on the A361, the A422 Hennef Way eastern arm and the M40 northbound and southbound off slips, to provide additional lanes; upgrading the motorway underpass beneath the M40 and building the warehouse and road improvements at the same time as the motorway service area.

It says the changes are in response to comments made by the council and objections raised by residents.

Tom Jeremiah, planning director at EG Group, said: “The improvements we have made to the scheme respond to the comments made by the council and other consultees and it has been carefully designed to enhance the overall development whilst protecting the employment-generating aspects of the proposals.

“Cherwell District Council has allocated this site, through its Local Plan, for the creation of 1,000 new jobs. We believe the proposed mix of uses would not only exceed this target but, through its range of new job types, directly address the low, but persistent, levels of unemployment in Banbury.”

An economic study prepared by the EG Group said 2,100 people in Banbury were out of work, around four per cent.

The Cherwell District Council Local Plan has allocated the site as employment land.

Mr Jeremiah said: “Much of the objection against our development has been rooted in concerns over perceived traffic problems. We are committing to fund a significant level of works to the public road network as part of our development and our specialist engineers are now forecasting that the network will operate well within capacity.

“We have worked closely with the county council and Highways England to identify what works are required to the network.

“Indeed, once HS2 construction traffic is removed, there will be significant surplus capacity, meaning the traffic will improve further still on completion of the project in 2026. This will result in long-term benefits to the residents of Banbury, as well as those using Junction 11 to access the town and the M40.

“This is an exciting time for Banbury and EG Group and we are looking forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Cherwell Council to realise its ambition for this site.”