2022 celebrated the end of the hugely successful Single Local Growth Fund programme. LEP projects and programmes have delivered economic growth now for over a decade.  In that time, we have secured £400m of investment for projects in Greater Lincolnshire and have delivered 75 growth projects and programmes.  

Together with our many local partners we have made great progress in raising the aspiration and profile of our collective economic ambitions for our diverse, resilient, and remarkable location. Our congratulations and thanks are extended to everyone involved in these varied and challenging projects and programmes, who in partnership with the LEP, are delivering considerable economic impact across our area. 

The Grantham Southern Relief Road aims to reduce town centre congestion and support new investment opportunities in the local area. The project will also unlock housing and employment opportunities by making land more accessible.  

The LEP contributed £28 million to the construction of the southern relief road through the Single Local Growth Fund allocation. The three-phase project is set to be completed by 2025 and is being led by Lincolnshire County Council, with support from South Kesteven District Council, Homes England and the Greater Lincolnshire LEP. 

Phase two of the project was completed in 2022 and included the construction of a bridged underpass and two new roundabouts that connect the A1 to the B1174.  

Cllr Richard Davies, Executive Member for Highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Grantham and the rest of Lincolnshire, as it means we’re just one piece of the relief road away from the whole thing being complete. 

“The focus now is on getting the third, and final, section of the relief road built and ready to open in 2025.” 

As the project moves into its final phase it is already having a positive impact on members of the local community. A Lincolnshire college student is gaining real-world engineering experience and is on the path to a career in construction thanks to a work placement on the relief road. 

Oscar Lacey, 17, is from just outside of Lincoln and is currently in his second year at Lincoln College. He is currently working toward a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Construction and Built Environment. 

Since starting his one-day-a-week work placement with Galliford Try on the Grantham Southern Relief Road project in November 2021, Oscar has been gaining invaluable on-the-job experience by working on one of the county’s biggest road projects. 

He said: “I’m really enjoying the placement I have with Galliford Try because I’ve been getting loads of experience learning and working on different areas of construction – like piling, structural concrete and surfacing. 

“Since starting my placement in Grantham, I’ve been working with the highways and structures teams and have had the chance to mark out the locations of piles and pile caps, as well as roundabout surfacing, kerbing and drainage. 

"I’ve also gotten to shadow the engineers who carry out quality checks. 

“Another good example of how the placement has helped me is that I’ve had the chance to actually use a total station, a construction tool used for surveying by measuring angles and slopes – something we learned about during my first year. 

"This means I’ve been able to learn how to use this important instrument in real-world scenarios with guidance from experts.” 

Oscar is confident that his work placement on the Grantham Southern Relief Road will help him in the future. He said: “Not only has this experience put me in the unique position of having worked on such a big project while I’m still a student, but I think it will also give me an advantage when I finish my course and am ready to start a construction and engineering apprenticeship. 

“I’m definitely grateful for all the support both my parents have given me since starting my placement, all of the personal contacts I’ve made and for all of the on-site experience I’ve gained so far!” 

Cllr Richard Davies commented: "It's great that projects like the Grantham Southern Relief Road can give local young people the chance to gain real-world engineering experience. 

"Hopefully Oscar makes the most of the knowledge and practice he’s gained once he’s graduated."  

You can find more information about the Grantham Southern Relief Road project here. For more information about the Greater Lincolnshire LEP’s Single Local Growth Fund projects, click here.