The project is promoting the widening of the A12 between Chelmsford and Colchester (27km), from two to three lanes with two offline sections.

Ardent’s role is to undertake the land referencing, agree survey access and undertake landowner engagement.

Intrusive survey access for phase 1 of the GI has been agreed for 92% of the landowners with powers being used on one landowner.

All phase 1 GI surveys are now complete and we are starting to agree access for the phase 2 GI surveys. Survey access continues to be agreed and arranged for ecology and other non-intrusive surveys which has continued throughout lockdown to inform the Scoping Report to be submitted to PINS at the end of August 2020.

Agreeing access for phase 2 of the geophysical surveys has just commenced with a planned start date of the end of August. Contact land referencing will commence in September ready for the statutory consultation early next year.