Protecting communities, landscape and wildlife

Get traffic off Greyfriars Bridge/Victoria St, Newmarket St and Edgar St, then let’s look at better cycle ways and walking routes across the city centreHereford resident

Major infrastructure projects can bring temporary disruption and long-standing change. The Council is committed to managing construction in a considerate, transparent and environmentally responsible way, with a clear focus on minimising impacts on residents, businesses, wildlife and local character throughout the build.

Construction will be carefully phased to keep key routes moving. Temporary traffic management will avoid peak-time closures wherever possible, maintain access for residents, businesses, farmers, emergency services and public transport, and provide clear advance notice of any diversions.

While there is strong support for the bypass, many residents and community groups rightly want assurances that environmental and heritage impacts will be carefully managed. Every stage of the build will follow robust ecological protections, including pre-construction habitat surveys, on-site ecological supervision, seasonal scheduling to protect wildlife, and measures to safeguard watercourses, hedgerows and species.

These commitments support the project’s overall ambition to aim for more than 15% biodiversity net gain, subject to detailed design and ecological assessment, create new habitat corridors and strengthen the wider ecological network.

The Wye Valley landscape and Herefordshire’s historic environment are among the county’s most important assets, which is why the project will adopt a whole -life approach to protection:

• Best practice carbon management, low carbon and recycled materials wherever viable, minimisation of waste and strict pollution controls - to be supported by ecological oversight and considerate scheduling.
• The route, earthworks, screening and bridge structures will be designed to respect local character, heritage settings and cherished views.
• Archaeological assessment and heritage management plans will be embedded throughout development to protect important sites.

Detailed design and mitigation would be developed in consultation with Natural England, the Environment Agency, local wildlife organisations and community partners to protect sensitive environments and enhance local character.

The bypass is intended to be delivered with care and transparency, keeping disruption to a minimum while upholding strong environmental, ecological and heritage standards. This approach ensures the scheme protects communities and the natural landscape, and is built in a way that respects Herefordshire’s natural beauty - both now and for generations to come.