A Norfolk council is preparing to force landowners to sell them their land to ensure a £1.3m roundabout can go ahead.
Officers at Broadland District Council (BDC) has approved pursuing a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for land next to Plumstead Road, west of Thorpe End on the outskirts of Norwich.
The proposed roundabout is part of the council growth strategy for the northeast of Norwich, providing access to housing sites around Plumstead Road, and connecting Broadland business park and Norwich Airport.
A report to councillors said: “This junction is a key piece of infrastructure in facilitating the proper planning of the area but to date the landowners to the south of the junction will not sign the agreement required to enable highway works to be carried out on their land.
“This report and the proposed CPO demonstrate this Council’s intention to deliver this scheme whilst, in parallel, also seeking to reach an amicable way forward with the respective landowners.”
Officers have been trying to get the landowners, property company Lothbury, to enter into a legal agreement for the work to be done, but they have refused to do so.
Under a CPO a landowner should be no better or worse off than before and would be compensated based on open market value.
Council officer Phil Courtier said: “We will continue to engage with the landowners to try to sign the [agreement] but in parallel asking the council to progress a CPO if that is required as a backstop.”
Lana Hempsall, cabinet member for planning, said she was only in favour of CPOs where necessary but it was time for decisive action.
She said: “We have turned around and looked at so many different options for what we could put in place instead of a roundabout and it still turns out the roundabout is the key piece that is missing.”
BDC cabinet members unanimously agreed to progress the CPO while continuing talks with landowners.
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