WORK to widen Howton Lane in Newton Abbot as part of the Houghton Barton housing development gets underway next week.

The project, led by Bloor Homes in partnership with Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council, will see the southern end of Howton Lane near Seale Hayne widened.

Improvements will also include new footways and utility service connections.

Originally expected to require a six-month closure, the programme has been reduced to around three months following coordination between the developer and local authorities.

Officials said efforts had been made to minimise disruption, including avoiding key periods such as school examinations.

Howton Lane will be closed to through traffic between its junction with the A383 Ashburton Road and Farleigh Cottages from Monday, June 22 for the duration of the work, which is expected to be completed by Friday, September 25.

The road will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

A signed diversion route will be in place throughout the scheme. Initially, traffic will be diverted to the north of Newton Abbot via Bickington and Liverton, using the A382, Staplehill Road, Perry Lane and Howton Road.

A one-way system will also operate at the northern end of Howton Lane and around the Seale Hayne boundary.

From around August, the diversion route will change, directing traffic to the south via the A383 Ashburton Road and A382 Bovey Tracey Road to connect back to Staplehill Road.

The change has been planned to avoid conflict with the separate A382 improvement works at Forches Cross, due to begin in early August.

Bloor Homes said the phased approach is intended to manage traffic impacts while essential infrastructure improvements are carried out to support the wider Houghton Barton development.

For further information, residents can contact Bloor Homes on 01392 342700 or email [email protected].