WORK on Hereford’s Link Road has been given a Spring 2015 start date, after a public inquiry this week ruled in its favour.

The decision has been heralded as “great new for the people of Hereford” by councillor Phillip Price – and means plans for what he has called “full city centre regeneration” can now take a big step forward.

When completed, the long-awaited infrastructure project will ‘link’ Edgar Street and Aylestone Hill, and provide access to the 800 homes slated to be built on or near the Merton Meadow.

In May, a week-long public inquiry weighed the public benefits of the project against the rights of city centre business owners who had been issued Compulsory Purchase Orders – which legally force them to sell their land.

And on Tuesday a decision from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government confirmed that “a compelling case in the public interest had been made.”

This frees up the council to compulsorily acquire the remaining sites – anticipated to be happen later this year – and begin construction in the Spring.

Cllr Price, cabinet member infrastructure, said: “This is great news for the people of Hereford.

“The Link Road is key to the full city centre regeneration that we have been working so hard and so long for.

“The road also opens up much-needed development land for the construction of the new Urban Village. “

It’s Our County leader Anthony Powers – who registered his opposition to elements of the project’s financing and traffic projections during the inquiry – said the result was as expected and his party will continue to press for better design for the road’s ‘shared space’ principle.