Ring road inquiry gets under way

Objections have been raised over compulsory purchases

A public inquiry has begun into plans to link up Derby's inner ring road.

Derby City Council has issued a number of compulsory purchase orders to land and home owners to move forward with the Connecting Derby scheme.

Project manager Dave Powner said 65 objections had been lodged and a public inquiry had opened to see whether the council should go ahead with its plans.

Mr Powner added he was confident the right proposals had been put forward and said the scheme was necessary.

'Good for city'

"The planning inquiry is needed so we can purchase the remaining bit of land we need to carry out the project and also close off some roads," said Mr Powner.

"There are very few places that we need that are actually lived in at the moment that we need to buy, in fact it's about three.

"It is for the good of the city but unfortunately some people will be disenfranchised by this."

The ring road was built in the late 1960s and early '70s.

The inquiry will last for two weeks and a final decision is expected from the Secretary of State in October.