Plans to build a new dual carriageway to Didcot alongside two bridges and a bypass in Clifton Hampden have been green-lit by the government – a year after they were rejected by the local county council.

The large-scale infrastructure scheme was approved by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on Wednesday, and work is expected to commence on the new stretch – which will connect the A34 in Milton to a new roundabout in Didcot – in 2026, to be completed within two years.

Oxfordshire County Councillor Judy Roberts described the decision as “fantastic news”, adding that it was “a big step towards tackling congestion in Didcot and the surrounding villages.”

Ms Roberts, who is cabinet member for travel and development strategy at the council, said: “It will transform travel in the Didcot area for current and future residents as well as commuters, reduce congestion in the surrounding villages, and improve air quality and noise levels.”

She added that it would “enable more reliable journey times for buses and other vehicles, improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity [and] support more jobs in the local area in new and existing employment sites”.

The project, which is estimated to cost £269 million, was called in by then-Secretary of State Michael Gove last July after the council overruled planning officer recommendations to refuse permission.

The opposition was reportedly on the grounds of project details, including design specifications and potential traffic impact, rather than the principle of the scheme.

The Housing Infrastructure Fund 1 (HIF1) project will also see two new bridges built, with one connecting the A4130 at Collett Roundabout with the former Didcot A Power Station site, and the other joining the A4130 in Didcot with the A415 in nearby village Culham.

The new Clifton Hampden bypass is also set to be a crucial part of the new “sustainable” transport link, providing a 2.2km single-carriageway road to the west of the village with two-way pedestrian and cycle facilities.

As well as boosting infrastructure for current residents, the new dual carriageway will enable the area to deal with the thousands of new homes being built in the Harwell, Milton Park and Culham areas.