One of the developers behind an expanding new community on the edge of Chippenham has pledged that a new link road should be open by mid-August.

The link road between the A350 to the north of the town and the B4069 to the east has been largely completed for several weeks, and a sign has recently been put up at the A350 end.

It has been built by developers behind the Birds Marsh View housing scheme, which will eventually see up to 750 new homes constructed.

Now Persimmon, which is building the development with Barratt and David Wilson, has assured Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan that progress is being made.

Persimmon Homes Wessex managing director Julian Roper has written to the MP saying that work on the surfacing of the final stretch will begin on Friday (5).

Ms Donelan said: “I will continue to do all I can to push Persimmon and Barratt to open the road as soon as possible.”

She said she would be arranging a meeting with Persimmon this week to reiterate the importance of the work.

It was originally hoped that the road, which will relieve pressure on the town centre and Hill Corner Road, could be open by Easter.

The date then slipped to June, and then to July or August, with ‘snagging’ work still to be done to get the road into a state where Wiltshire Council is happy to adopt it.

Part of the road is open to traffic, allowing access from the B4069 to parts of the estate.

But fencing shuts the road off at the north end and at a work site where homes are still being built.

Last week, Wiltshire Council said there would have to be a maintenance and inspection period before the road was formally adopted by the authority.

“The timeframe to complete all remaining works is within the remit of the private developer and we are working closely with them to resolve these matters as expediently as possible.”