Steve Brine MP has bemoaned ‘intensely frustrating’ delays to the planned M3 Junction 9 upgrade in Winchester.

This comes as highways chiefs have announced a significant hold-up to the multi-million-pound plan which could see it pushed back by the best part of a year.

A planning application from National Highways was set to be delivered to the planning inspectorate this Spring, with the project having moved out of its consultation phase at the end of January.

Mr Brine was offered assurance from the government agency the plan remained on track, despite a temporary halt on smart motorway developments - including the proposed upgrade from junction nine at Winchester and junction 14 at Southampton on the M3.

However, National Highways has now revealed it has had to return to the drawing board to amend its current plans following the recent report from the select committee and is targeting a new, delayed date for the application to be submitted.

A spokesperson said: “Earlier this year, Government asked National Highways to pause all smart motorway projects that were in their early stages, including the M3 J9-14 project.

“The pause means changes to the designs and materials we’ll submit to the Planning Inspectorate when we apply for consent to improve M3 junction 9.

“To give us the time we need to change some elements of our design – primarily around how the junction will tie back into the existing road – we’ve decided to apply for consent by Spring next year at the latest – although we hope to submit our application by the end of this year.

“Either way we’re committed to making sure our application is as detailed, comprehensive and complete as possible so the Planning Inspectorate can make a fully informed decision about our proposals.”

Mr Brine has since insisted he will be pushing for the application to be submitted as soon as possible. He said: “I said back in February, after meeting the National Highways team down at Winnall, we needed to be careful the pause doesn’t get in the way of progress on J9, but that seems to be exactly what has happened.

“It is intensely frustrating because we’ve waited so long to get on with this key infrastructure project but it’s a case of doing the right thing, which pausing smart motorway rollout undoubtedly is, having an unavoidable knock-on impact. If National Highways take this to the inspectorate without properly considering every aspect it will only delay matters further and could even derail the whole scheme completely. I will be pushing to ensure they work this out at pace and still submit this year.”

Construction had been hallmarked for early 2024 and completion by December 2026 under the previous timeline.

The improvement plan’s aim is to ensure “free movement from the A34 and the M3” and has received backing from across the south and even as far as the black country, with the A34 being a vital logistical route to the midlands and beyond.