For some, the Norwich Western Link is a much-needed initiative that will slash journey times and ease rat running but, as local democracy reporter George Thompson discovered, for those against the route it is a costly endeavour that will lead to the destruction of the natural environment.
Dozens of residents from Barnham Broom and further afield packed themselves into the village hall as a public consultation about the controversial £250m Western Link began.
Throughout the event on Friday, hundreds of people flowed through the hall to question representatives from Norfolk County Council, some leaving happy, others frustrated.
The proposed 3.9-mile road stretches from the A1067 Fakenham Road to the A47 at Honingham, including a viaduct over the River Wensum.
The county council has also promised a range of mitigation measures intended to help local villages, including road closures and altered speed limits.
One area that caused concern among many attendees was the closure of Barnham Broom Road - just to the south of where the road would meet the A47 at new roundabouts - which goes from Norwich Road to Wymondham, and would only be open for accessing properties.
The county council said the change could remove up to 1,000 vehicle movements a day from the road.
But this left Kimberley residents Dereck Cole and Alan Westron with unanswered questions.
Mr Cole and Mr Westron argued the traffic that would have gone along the road would end up going through their area before turning onto Tuttles Lane West. Possibly adding an extra thousand vehicles.
"It's 1,000 cars that will have to go somewhere," Mr Cole said. "They can't explain where these cars disappear off to. It will add traffic to the road."
While Elizabeth Glazier, who lives on the road mooted for closure, said she supported the proposal, she did not trust the numbers being quoted by the council.
"I love it - it would be quiet for me and I would be able to get out of my drive. So from a selfish point of view it would be great but I don't know how it will work and I don't trust these numbers at all."
While the council say there are currently around 800 cars on Barnham Broom Road a day, Ms Glazier said the number was much higher having counted 40 cars in 10 minutes.
Kathryn Cross was highly critical of the closure saying it would make getting out of Barnham Broom Road "almost impossible".
"The plans will add even more traffic to Tuttles Lane. I want to know if there's a scheme like this anywhere else and if it has worked."
Ms Cross, who owns Centre Paws, a dog exercise field and cafe, said she had been told there would be monitoring of the road but said it was unclear how it works.
"If someone is visiting us it is for access but how does monitoring work all this out? What happens if someone isn't using it for access?
"We won't get any customers - we need signs saying businesses are open as a minimum."
Bob Harris, a fellow Barnham Broom resident, also raised concerns about the closure.
"We go to Wymondham fairly regularly, it's a safer way to go," he said.
"The way they are suggesting is more difficult, longer and more dangerous.
"How are they going to police it? They don't seem to know."
However, not everyone was concerned about the closure.
One Bell Road resident, who asked not to give her name, said she was fully in support of the plan.
"I can't see why it would be a negative," she said.
"The fact is that it will make us drive two extra miles there and two extra miles back to Wymondham. It's not that much longer. It's got everyone in a hoohaa."
Mark Lusher from Old Costessey was also fully in support of the plan.
He said: "We live in Old Costessey which is a rat run, if this was done it will make our lives a lot better.
"I also think there's been a lot of chat about heritage and damage done and the impact on our children.
"I look at it differently - if they face an orbital road I would be rather embarrassed to say that it wasn't finished.
"Where we live is a conservation area, we are happy with the steps being taken to protect ecology."
- The public consultations process continues at the Costessey Centre on Friday, September 9, between 1pm and 8pm. Head to pinpointcloud.co.uk/NorwichWesternLink for more details.
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