Opening date finally revealed for £100m new-look M27 junction 10 - and it is ahead of schedule
Parts of the new-look junction will open later this month
The new-look £100m M27 Junction 10 will open to traffic in just over a week, marking a major milestone in of one of the county’s most ambitious transport infrastructure projects.
From Monday, September 14, the upgraded ‘all moves’ junction 10 will open ahead of schedule in phases, starting with the new westbound off-slip, the motorway underpass and four new roundabouts. The new eastbound on-slip and westbound on-slip are expected to open in autumn 2026.
Once fully open, the upgraded junction will provide full access to and from the M27 in both directions, whereas before there was only one way on and one way off the motorway at that junction.
Approximately 30,000 vehicles are expected to use the new junction each day once it opens, with drivers travelling to and from Fareham, Wickham, Portsmouth, Whiteley, Southampton and beyond from new direct connections via the A3222 link road.
It forms a key part of the Welborne ‘eco-town’, with around 6,000 new homes being built just minutes from the junction which will provide key access to the new residents, as well as those in nearby Wickham and Knowle.
The project has been led by Hampshire County Council with the support of National Highways, and has been primarily funded by the Buckland Group, the master developer of the Welborne Garden Village, along with support from Homes England.
Councillor Steve Forster, Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “We are delighted to be able to confirm the phased opening of the M27 Junction 10 improvement scheme. The new junction and link roads will improve journeys to and from the motorway network in the short term and support the growth of Welborne Garden Village in the years ahead. It’s a great example of how investment in the right infrastructure can enable sustainable growth, supporting the delivery of thousands of new homes, schools, community facilities and employment opportunities.
“While the scheme will be operational ahead of schedule, essential safety testing and final works will continue for several months. This means that some lane restrictions and speed limits on a short section of the M27 and connecting roads will need to remain in place. We would like to thank road users and local communities for their continued patience and understanding while this work is completed.”
Originally due to open to traffic in winter 2026, the £100m+ scheme will become operational ahead of this timescale, thanks to an accelerated delivery programme, reflecting strong progress throughout the construction phase.
This included the closure of the motorway during the festive period to enable an innovative ‘box slide’ to be moved into position to create the underpass which now exists underneath the motorway. (Watch a video of the process embedded in this story)
The county council said that by carrying out this key element of the works in a single operation, the project team significantly reduced the amount of traffic management and short-term closures required during construction.
Temporary speed limits and lane restrictions will remain on the M27 between Junctions 9 and 11 while final safety checks including technology testing take place – this is expected to stay in place until winter 2026.
In addition, the new dual carriageway (A32/A3222 link road) through the underpass will initially operate with a single lane in one direction (north bound), providing a new route for traffic travelling towards Fareham, Wickham and the surrounding local road network. This arrangement will allow the remaining works, including landscaping and footway completion, to be carried out safely.
Andrew Jackson, National Highways programme manager, said: “This important scheme will stimulate economic growth across the region by supporting the building of 6,000 new homes and the creation of thousands of new jobs. The National Highways team has worked particularly closely with Hampshire County Council over the last two years and are delighted that local communities will soon benefit from smoother, safer journeys as a result of these improvements.”
Mark Thistlethwayte, chairman of Buckland Group, said: “The opening of Junction 10 is a milestone moment for Welborne Garden Village and the M27 corridor. Buckland Group and Homes England's funding of the upgrade to this crucial piece of infrastructure unlocked our plans to deliver 6,000 new homes, the forthcoming Welborne Commercial Park as well as broader economic connectivity and growth.
“We're grateful to Hampshire County Council, National Highways and Volker Fitzpatrick for bringing this project to its completion. Junction 10 will serve residents, businesses and communities for generations to come.”
Pauline Schaffer, director of infrastructure funding at Homes England, said: “The M27 Junction 10 Scheme has been a great example of public and private sectors collaborating to deliver a transformative development that will unlock up to 6,000 homes as well as bringing community infrastructure and employment opportunities to the Fareham area.”
Adrian Mawdsley, project director, VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “Delivering the new M27 Junction 10 has been a truly collaborative achievement. Working closely with Hampshire County Council, National Highways, Buckland and Homes England, we’ve brought forward a piece of infrastructure that will improve journeys immediately and enable the long‑term success of Welborne Garden Village. We’re proud to have delivered this milestone ahead of schedule for the communities it will serve.”
The planned opening on September 14 will be subject to the completion of critical work scheduled for the weekend of September 12 and 13 to connect the new road layout to the current. Contingency is in place for the following weekend. To facilitate these works, overnight road closures will be in place ahead of and during the weekend works.
As previously reported by The News, the Welborne Garden Village will not only have up to 6,000 homes when finished but also, schools, community facilities and employment space. However, under the planning conditions for the development, no more than 1,160 homes can be occupied until the new all-movements Junction 10 is operational.
Alongside benefits for motorists, the scheme will provide a new shared footway and cycleway connecting Fareham Common to the south with Welborne Garden Village to the north, creating new opportunities for walking, wheeling and cycling between the two communities.
Check the scheme webpage for the latest closure details and travel information: M27 Junction 10 improvement scheme | Transport and roads | Hampshire County Council.
The M27 J10 scheme improvements:
- A new motorway underpass west of M27 Junction 10;
- Three new slip roads;
- Creation of a new dual carriageway, with four roundabouts, to link the slip roads to the existing road network, forming a 'free flowing link' at Junction 10;
- Walking and cycling enhancements, alongside new bridleways.