A MAIN road into Bovey Tracey is to be closed for three months, shutting off the entrance to the Chudleigh side of the town and pouring more misery on hard-pressed businesses.

The B3344, which links Bovey Tracey with Chudleigh Knighton, is to be closed from January at Bradley Bends until the end of March, where a major housing development is under way.

Bovis Homes is building 185 homes, 20 self-build properties, along with employment space on the site – Teignbridge Council planners originally turned the application down, but it was granted on appeal by a government inspector.

Work by contractors for the developer began on this section of road this month and the B3344 is still in use with traffic passing the road works via traffic signal controls.

During the full closure the works will include putting in a new rising main, re-building a culvert under the road, realigning and constructing a new section of carriageway, as well as some footway enhancement.

Town councillor and businessman Rob Bray said it would shut the town off at that end.

He told the town council’s recreation, parks and property committee on Monday that he thought it was ‘disgusting’.

Cllr Bray said there had been no consultation and he said people would face lengthy diversions via the Bovey Straight to Drum Bridges and along the A38, while it would also affect bus and emergency services.

Cllr Janet Blair said people were not happy about the situation.

‘I know someone in the building trade and he cannot see why this work cannot be carried out by closing just one side of the road. He thinks it is being done this way to save money,’ she said.

The mayor Cllr Uli Arnold said after hearing about the closure the council approached the county to try to get the road to remain partially open.

‘We tried our best but it did not get us anywhere,’ he added.

The county council as the regulatory authority can impose a temporary traffic regulation order if it considers it justifiable.