Environmental improvements starting next week in Ermine Street, Little Stukeley - being built as a condition of the redevelopment of Alconbury airfield - will last six months.

The scheme is designed to provide a more rural setting for the road and to reduce speed, thereby discouraging drivers from using the route through the Stukeleys.

Work is scheduled to start on August 20 at the northern end of Little Stukeley and will be completed by the end of February.

It is being funded by Urban and Civic, the developer behind plans to build 5,000 new homes and business space for 8,000 jobs on the former military airfield known as Alconbury Weald.

Environmental improvements have to be carried out by the time the 250th home is occupied and developers have already exceeded half that number.

A second stage of improvements will be installed later as the development of the airfield continues.

The scheme has been designed with the parish council and local partners as well as going through a working group and consultations with the local community. It has since been given an extensive road safety audit by Cambridgeshire County Council and has been cleared for construction.

The work, by local contractor Breheny Civil Engineering, involves narrowing the width of Ermine Street, changing the priority of key junctions and reducing the southern 40mph speed limit to 30mph.

Rebecca Britton, from Urban and Civic, said: “We are delighted that the Ermine Street environmental works will be starting soon. The final scheme is the result of a collaborative approach to help ensure we minimise the impacts and maximise the benefits of the Alconbury Weald development to our nearest neighbours.

“The works need to be in place by the time the 250th home is occupied at Alconbury Weald. We currently have residents moved into around 130 homes and, while the scheme has taken a while to finalise, we are still pleased to be delivering it ahead of schedule.”

The second phase includes a cycle connection along the length of Ermine Street from Alconbury weald to Huntingdon and pedestrian and cycle crossings. It may be extended once the initial scheme is in operation

The scheme comes as part of wider road improvements in the area including the A14 upgrade, part of the A14 being converted into a local road and a new Southern Gateway entrance to Alconbury Weald north of Huntingdon with an adjacent travel hub, including a new rail station and guided busway link.

Details of the scheme are being distributed to local residents and businesses.