A134 Sicklesmere Road roundabout works reach halfway point as next stages revealed and Low Green set to reopen

A controversial roundabout project has reached its halfway point as new details have been revealed over the next stages of development.

The A134 Sicklesmere Road in Bury St Edmunds is closed again this weekend as roundabout works for the 363-home Abbots Vale estate continue — with three weekend closures still to come.

However, in a letter to councillors and stakeholders, Hopkins Homes confirmed it is ‘about halfway through’ the works as details were shared over its next steps for the project — including plans to reopen Low Green and relocate temporary traffic lights which should ‘reduce queue times and minimise disruption for drivers’.

Resident Henry Brewis, who has been campaigning for Low Green to reopen, welcomed the update and said he was pleased to see action planned from Monday, April 7 — pending a ‘satisfactory review’ of this weekend’s works.

“It’s the result we were after,” he said. “I think we have made a difference here, I don’t think they would have bothered to look at Low Green if we hadn’t hassled them a little bit.

“Until last week, I felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall — so I am quite pleased about this.”

The move to turn Rushbrooke Lane and Low Green into ‘no through roads’ during the project followed a public engagement session, which Henry believes was a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ from Highways and Hopkins Homes.

He said: “Closing this road was never part of the original plans and it was decided at the last minute.

“They just didn’t think through the consequences of that decision, they hadn’t thought it through at all.

“I know many residents will be pleased with this news, but I do hope that going forward there will be better communication from the developers in the future.”

With Low Green closed to prevent rat-running, Mark Proctor, owner of The Friendly Loaf bakery, feared potential closure as the road being shut made it difficult to keep his business running.

Measures were also introduced on the road including an on-site gateman to allow emergency vehicles through the closures — although ambulances were recently spotted using Hawstead Lane and Bells Lane instead.

In the letter, a Hopkins Homes spokesperson said: “Access-only arrangements (in Low Green) will continue during the weekend road closures to ensure a clear route for emergency vehicles following positive feedback from the blue light services.

“Rushbrooke Lane will continue to have access-only restrictions in place at all times.”

With ‘key tasks’ completed ahead of schedule, revised measures are expected to come into effect next week including the shortening of the controlled traffic lights which will operate on the north side of the roundabout in Sicklesmere Road.

The next stage will see the installation of ‘deep drainage infrastructure’ with works scheduled to continue over the weekends of April 11 to 14, April 25 to 28, and May 2 to 5.

A Hopkins Homes spokesperson said: “We are pleased to report that the initial phases of the work have gone very well and have even been completed slightly ahead of schedule.

“As a result, the new roundabout is now operational, and we expect the new puffin crossing (at the entrance to Nowton Park) to be finished by the end of this coming weekend (April 4 to 7).

“We hope this provides some reassurance and highlights our commitment to reducing disruption as we complete these essential works.”

As the A134 roundabout construction continues, concerns were previously raised after Hopkins Homes and Denbury Homes sought to increase the number of homes that need to be occupied before completing a relief road connecting the A134 to Roughham Hill and roundabout upgrades at Southgate Green.

It was requested that the number of homes be increased from 200 to 375 homes for the relief road, and 675 homes, instead of 550, for the roundabout.

Resident Henry Hopking called this request ‘deeply insulting’ as this change was made through a non-material amendment (NMA) — a process that bypasses public consultation.

However, the request was withdrawn on March 19.

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