WORK is finally to get underway next week for the construction of a new road in Cinderford next week that will open up more than £100m in future investment in the area.

Over the past year extensive work has been undertaken to make sure animals have been re-homed along the route of the road to keep them safe.

Great Crested Newts and other common species have been successfully relocated and several new ponds created in the surrounding area.

And nothing of significance was found along the route during an archaeological dig along the proposed route.

Currently, work is taking place to move two high voltage cables from above the site.

The road will be built in phases with the first phase involving construction of a new road starting at the junction of Newtown Road and Broadmoor Road.

Additional work will take place in other phases with the work eventually reaching the A4136.

Gloucestershire County Council appointed Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd to build phase one of the spine road for the Cinderford Northern Quarter scheme earlier this year.

GFirst LEP is funding the construction of the road following a successful grant application by a partnership bid from the district and county council.

Councillor Graham Morgan, district councillor for Cinderford West and chairman of the Cinderford Regeneration Board, said: “It is great to see work is beginning here. This is a fantastic investment for Cinderford, and I know everyone is committed to making sure the new spine road is built in a sensitive and sustainable manner."