HUNDREDS of people turned out to view fresh plans for the M3 junction near Winchester during a two-day community exhibition.

National Highways was at Tesco Extra in Winnall on Sunday, September 25 and Monday, September 26 with representatives from contractors VolkerFitzpatrick and designer Stantec to meet residents.  

The scheme for an upgrade to Junction 9 has been planned since 2018, with a public consultation taking place in 2019. It is now estimated to cost between £190-210m.  

Jon Roose, senior project manager for the scheme, said: "On Sunday we had around 200 people in. Today (Monday) around 188 more have come along, so it has been a really good response.

"I think the members of the public who we've talked to have really appreciated the opportunity to actually look at the plans, talk to someone and understand how the whole proposal stitches together.

"It helps them understand what construction would look like in terms of duration and the likely impact. Clearly most people shopping here are local having that picture of what it means for them is tremendously important.

"Also, beyond the actual engineering of the scheme itself, footpaths, rights of way and the overall treatment of the environment has very much been part of the conversation again."

READ MORE: Improved plans for Junction 9 M3 go on show in Tesco car park

A formal planning application is due to be submitted in November and the government department is hoping to start work in spring 2024 with a view to completion in 2027.

A public consultation was held between May and July last year. Publishing its findings in November, National Highways reported around 350 responses, with concerns over walking, cycling and horse provisions as well as necessity and cost all raised.

Fears of the environmental impact outweighed all the other issues, with 110 respondents voicing their reservations. 

Further design work has now seen environmental changes brought in, such as revised earthworks, the removal of the site compound at Christmas Hill and the boundary moved so it does not encroach on to Winnall Moors Nature Reserve.  

Other key changes include a new subway added next to the National Highways depot, enhanced walking, cycling and horse riding routes, and revised signage.  

An extended southbound slip road onto the M3 will also allow traffic to flow more smoothly and safely, chiefs say. 

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The pause to the Smart Motorway scheme in April also meant adaptation had to be made. Mr Roose said that if the scheme were to recommence they would be well placed to avoid any further delays.  

"The core design we showed last summer, which encompassed Smart Motorways, actually hasn't changed in capacity terms to what we're now showing," he added. 

"What we've specifically changed is how the south facing slip roads onto the M3 interface with the existing network versus a network with four lanes in both directions. 

"So, we think we're well placed should the Smart Motorway come back in late 2024/25 to actually adjust our design, and we're in constant conversation with the Smart Motorway's project team so that we understand where they're going and what they're doing.

"That way we should be able to, with minimal roadblocks, encompass that at the run rather than having to stop again and backtrack."

The exhibition has now come to an end. For more go to nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/m3-junction-9-information-portal/