Blow as junction upgrade work is put under review by government

A MAJOR upgrade to junction 28 of the M5 - said to be vital to unlocking the development of thousands of homes - has suffered a blow after being put under review.

- by BRADLEY GERRARD Local Democracy Reporter

Proposals to upgrade the Cullompton junction appeared to be progressing well, with funding pledged by the previous government towards the scheme.

However, now ministers have released a list of projects they say will be reviewed over the summer to ascertain whether they remain “viable, affordable and deliverable”.

Mid Devon District Council sees the proposed upgrade to the motorway junction as a nonnegotiable piece of the Culm Garden Village puzzle.

Culm Garden is where around 5,000 homes are planned, and proponents of the development claim upgrades to the road network must be made before thousands more residents move into the new properties.

In 2023, the council released a statement saying the then government, led by Rishi Sunak, had included the junction 28 scheme as part of its Network North programme that sought to make a host of transport upgrades across the country.