The price tag for a major new Norfolk road has gone up by almost £25m after the general election triggered delays in crucial decisions.

And the hold-up has also pushed back plans for when construction would start on the 1.5-mile West Winch Housing Access Road, near King's Lynn.

Norfolk County Council has been waiting to hear how much the government will contribute towards the bill for the road, which would link the A47 and A10 and serve 4,000 planned new homes.

County Hall had hoped it would hear from the government in the spring, but, following the May election, it now anticipates it will not learn until October at the earliest.

And officers at the authority say delays, along with a "significant increase" to almost £4m in the cost of diverting two high pressure gas mains means the price tag has gone up from £84.5m to £109.2m.

A graphic showing the proposed route of the West Winch Housing Access RoadA graphic showing the proposed route of the West Winch Housing Access Road (Image: West Norfolk council)

The council's Conservative-controlled cabinet will next month be asked to agree to a revised timescale and budget for the road.

Councillors are also asked to submit an updated outline business case for the route to the government in the hope of securing millions more for the scheme.

Grahame Bygrave, lead director for infrastructure at the county council said: "Recent events, including the general election, have impacted our timeline for delivery and costs across the sector have continued to rise since our original outline business case was developed and submitted to government."

Officers say the anticipated start of construction has also been pushed back, from spring/summer next year to 2026.

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County Hall's planning committee has yet to meet to agree the plans for the road, while a linked application for new homes is due to come before West Norfolk Council next week.

The county council's cabinet is also being asked to agree to put an extra £1.4m into the scheme so it can push ahead with the planning process and buying land needed for the scheme.

Officers say that temporary injection would be recouped once the outline business case is approved, using money from the Department for Transport and Homes England.