Huge new £5.8m junction set to stop traffic chaos is put on hold after one discovery

A multi-million pound revamp of a busy roundabout has been suddenly halted - after a dormouse nest was discovered.

The £5.8m million project on the Key Street junction in Sittingbourne, Kent - one of the busiest roundabouts in the county - has been delayed as the species is protected.

The discovery of the tiny rodents means a special licence must now be obtained to continue the works.

Kent County Council (KCC) said the works were supposed to begin this summer, the discovery means they will now be delayed until autumn, with an estimated completion date in 2025.

“Alongside planning to minimise conflict with the M2 Junction 5 works, there are some environmental issues which have delayed the scheme," a spokeswoman said.

During a recent advance site clearance around the roundabout, surprised workers stumbled upon a dormouse nest.

With a body length of between just six and nine centimetres and a tail of similar length, the chances of spotting the tiny rodents are very rare.

They have soft, golden-brown fur, big black eyes, a long feathery tail and weigh no more than 40g.

Habitat loss - mainly as a result of urbanisation - has contributed to a severe decline in the population of dormice.

They are now a protected species - meaning it's an offence to disturb them or damage any place used for their shelter or protection.

A dormouse mitigation licence is needed ahead of work starting if dormice are found on a site.

Measures state that habitats should be protected and retained, but, where this is not possible, other measures can include creating new habitats or, as a last resort, clearing vegetation to displace the animals.

The KCC spokeswoman added: “The works around the nest were immediately stopped and an application for a dormouse licence was sent to Natural England, which is needed before the main works can start.

“We are expecting to receive the licence in September.”

The route is used daily by thousands of drivers heading in and out of Sittingbourne and towards the Isle of Sheppey, Maidstone and Medway.

The planned changes to the roundabout include closing the existing A249 Maidstone-bound entry slip lane, which is used by more than 7,300 vehicles each day.

Once completed, motorists will drive down the adjacent Chestnut Street where there will be a new roundabout, just before the Tudor Rose pub, where a link road will connect to the A249.

The Chesnut Street arm of the Key Street roundabout will be expanded to include an additional lane.

There will also be off-road parallel parking spaces and a new toucan crossing, and the current slip road will be landscaped.

The new roundabout forms part of the Wises Lane development in Borden and will act as a link to almost 600 new builds, a rugby facility and a new primary school - all to be built by Quinn Estates.

Another approved 50 homes at Manor Farm, Borden, will also have access to Chestnut Street via a link road to be built by Balmoral Land.

KCC, which is overseeing the new development, says reducing the number of arms of the roundabout will increase its capacity, improve safety and ease congestion.

The roundabout revamp is part of a wider, £38.6 million infrastructure upgrade project which also includes the Grovehurst Junction Improvement scheme - the work for which has also been delayed.

The Key Street roundabout works will cost £5.8 million, with £900,000 coming from developer contributions and the rest paid for by a grant from the Government’s Housing and Infrastructure Fund.

KCC says the road network will have better pedestrian and cycling links and future-proof the road network for population rise once the project has been completed.

The Key Street roundabout is expected to see a third (30%) more traffic by 2037.

More than 13,000 homes have been promised by Swale Borough Council, 7,899 of which will be built in the 'vicinity of the schemes' according to KCC.