WOODLAND could be 'destroyed' as part of a bid to build a dual carriageway.

As a part of the A326 (South) Fawley Waterside Junction Improvements, Hampshire County Council is considering constructing a two-lane dual carriage between the Michigan Way and Cocklydown Lane junctions which involves the protected west side of the road.

The assessment indicated that this was the council’s preferred option as "it is considered to provide the best balance between scheme cost, improving journey times, shifting more traffic back onto the A326 and minimising environmental impact."

The proposal said the average journey would save about two minutes in the morning and two and a half minutes in the afternoon during peak hours.

The second phase involves road widening, and to do so, part of the New Forest land would be affected by the works of the two-lane dual carriageway.

READ MORE: Parts of A326 near Marchwood could be widened to cut delays

At the moment, a woodland buffer separates housing from the road and helps reduce noise and air pollution for residents.

Liberal Democrat Cllr David Harrison said: "At this stage, we don’t know to what extent the woodland has to be destroyed to construct the road.

“I anticipate that many householders who live near the road won’t be happy about losing the tree buffer.

"(It's) the most protected land in the country, and usually, any proposals to do roads on national park lands would be rejected. They are likely trying to persuade.

"At the moment, no road work has started - however, highway engineers and ecologists are looking at how they might widen with the least harm to the environment.

"Whether they are able to, perhaps, persuade a national park to take a very small part of the land is an open question."

Cllr Harrison pointed out that the council told him that the total cost of this project would be £80m.

He said: "I asked how much they would have to compensate the homeowners that live next to the road. But they are not able to tell me how much. I imagine that will run about several million pounds as well."

The New Forest hosts a variety of flora and fauna, including over 15,000 species of insect (two-thirds of the UK total), 2700 species of fungi, 44 species of mammal (including 13 bat species), at least 12 species of reptile and amphibian, and is a UK hotspot for rare breeding birds such as Honey Buzzard, Nightjar, Woodlark and Dartford Warbler.

It is a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and a Ramsar site (land listed as a Wetland of International Importance).

Hampshire County Council will hold a further round of consultation in June 2023.