Lavenham Road in Thorpe Morieux in Suffolk shut for 7 months

Suffolk Highways closed Lavenham Road, between Hill Green and Cockfield Road, in Thorpe Morieux, between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury, in February due to "carriageway deterioration" from a badger sett. 

The authority said the road would be closed "until further notice", but the road could now be shut until November. 

Lavenham Road has been shut since February (Image: Google Maps)

Details obtained under a Freedom of Information request show a proposed end date for the roadworks of November 1, which would be almost nine months on from its initial closure.

The badger sett has been discovered in Thorpe Morieux (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesman for Suffolk Highways said of the closure: "We are working with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust to find a solution that will allow the road to be reopened safely whilst also protecting the badgers."

Councillor Robert Lindsay, who represents Cosford at Suffolk County Council, said: "People are generally accepting. I have not had a huge clamour."

Cllr Robert Lindsay (Image: Robert Lindsay)

Mr Lindsay said he was asked by Thorpe Morieux Parish Council if the roads that form part of the diversion could be monitored more to maintain potholes. 

"Because of the road closure the other roads are getting used more than normal, so they are getting more potholes than normal," he continued.

"They have asked Suffolk Highways can extra investigations be done to keep on top of the potholes.

"Because of the road closures they do not do extra investigations but if there is a lot of potholes people need to report them."

The councillor added the closure was "a bit of an odd one". 

Mr Lindsay added: "I am sure it is an inconvenience – but I think most people are accepting."

Badgers are protected by law and their setts can only be moved between the beginning of July and the end of October, and only once Natural England has granted permission.

The saga in Thorpe Morieux is not the only road in the region to be affected by wildlife habitats.

In 2023, Hulver Street near Beccles saw a road shut for 10 months due to a badger sett which had dug underneath the carriageway.

The road closure in Hulver Street due to the badger sett (Image: Newsquest)

Temporary traffic lights were put in place in the east Suffolk hamlet, forcing one side of the road to be shut to drivers.

This was because the badgers had dug a hole in the road surface.

And in Norfolk, the future of the planned £274million Norwich Western Link road is in doubt over the presence of barbastelle bats – which are also protected by law in the UK.

Norfolk County Council officers fear new guidance issued by Natural England means the Western Link project is unlikely to obtain a licence that would enable construction to proceed.