A LONG-AWAITED project to widen the A12 has been given a share of £25 billion - but it could be held up by plans for three new towns.

Chancellor Sajid Javid announced the cashpot as part of his speech at the Conservative Party Conference yesterday.

The plans to widen the A12 between Colchester and Chelmsford were initially announced in December 2014.

A consultation on the proposals was held in 2017 but the plans have since stalled.

Mr Javid announced the project would be going ahead in his speech where he promised an “infrastructure revolution”.

But he admitted the investment may not be felt for some time.

The final amount for the A12 project has not been confirmed, but it is expected to cost between £100 million and £250 million.

Colchester MP Will Quince welcomed the announcement but warned the issue over the garden communities needed to be resolved.

He said: “It is planned for 2020-25, so work could start next year but I think the one obstacle is it depends on the councils getting together and sorting out the local plans.

“We cannot widen the A12 until we know about the garden communities and the junctions needed.

“This is something we wanted and we can now crack on.

“It is very positive news, the money is there and now work needs to be done between Essex County Council, Colchester, Braintree and Tendring.

“They have got to step up a gear and get the local plans sorted. The money is for 2020-25 and we want to get started.”

Mr Javid’s plans included a £5 billion package to support the roll-out of broadband and a £220 million fund for buses.

He said: “Investment in our infrastructure will be key to making the next decade one of renewal - boosting our economy and making life easier for people all across the country.

“This new multibillion-pound investment to deliver gigabit-capable broadband for all the UK and investment in roads and buses will help people to get around and businesses to grow, ensuring no community is left behind.”

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: “The responsibility for the future route will rest solely with Highways England and the Government through the Department for Transport.

“There is no question of delaying work on the A12, but we do have to get it right.

"In following the process for the Local Plan agreed with the Planning Inspector, the North Essex Authorities and Essex County Council have requested that the government chooses a final route which will meet the needs of a growing north Essex economy and the development principles that we have set out to deliver the proposed garden communities.

"If a garden community does come forward in this area, it is imperative the A12 follows the best possible alignment to guarantee it is delivered to those development principles.

“This has always meant planning for future housing and road improvements together, not in isolation, and taking the necessary time to consider the revised evidence and make the right decision, even if it does take some extra months.

"The Government has been very clear that housing and infrastructure is linked – that is why they launched their Housing Infrastructure Fund – as they recognise that much-needed new homes must be supported by the right strategic infrastructure.

“Essex County Council continues to work on the detail of the provisionally-agreed multimillion-pound Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) bid, to secure the finance for improvements to the A12 around Marks Tey and to allow the proposed new A120 road to join to the A12. Since it was submitted in March, a great deal of work continues to be undertaken to deliver the A12 widening scheme, but we are now awaiting the Government’s decision on the HIF bid.”