THE seven shortlisted routes for the western bypass have been approved by the council's cabinet.

Following a consultation last year and further reports, Herefordshire Council has put forward seven routes which will all start at the proposed Southern Link Road roundabout on the A465 (Belmont Road) and finish on the A49 north of Hereford.

The routes travel through the Warham and Breinton area and cross one of either two bridges suggested. They then cross Kings Acre Road, with some routes then bisecting the proposed Three Elms development, before crossing the Roman Road and finishing on the A49.

Cllr Philip Price, cabinet member for infrastructure, said: "There has been talk of a bypass for as long as I can remember. In 2018 there is a real appetite, both locally and nationally, to improve connectivity to the West Midlands and the rest of the UK."

He said they cannot deliver new homes and jobs without new infrastructure.

Cllr Price added: "The Rotherwas Access Road is the first phase [of the bypass]. The Southern Link Road is due for construction in 2019, which is the second phase. Extensive work has taken place to develop the next stage of the bypass to complete the link to the north of the city."

During public questions Mr J Trimble raised concerns about the future of the Hereford Community Farm, of which five of the seven shortlisted routes cross. He said this facility has 64 weekly attendees with disabilities.

Cllr Price said the process of choosing a preferred route will mean that the impact of each route is assessed.

Another member of the public, Mr Hands, asked if Cllr Price had seen the BBC programme about the effects of air pollution and said: "You appear to put your ego above the health of Hereford residents."

But Cllr Price said: "I am fully aware of my stubbornness when I get into something and I appreciate your concerns but we are trying to progress this bypass to improve the air quality in central Hereford."

Cllr Bob Matthews said the Independents have always preferred an eastern route. He said the area of Breinton deserves to be called an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and should not be destroyed.

He said 80 percent of businesses have always wanted an eastern route adding: "The people of this county and local economy should come first and we are totally failing on both counts."

But leader of the council, Tony Johnson, said: "We have no reason to favour one side or the other. What we do is look at professional evidence carefully put together with proper full reports with all considerations taken into account. And they tell us to go west and west it will be."

A call-in period follows the decision made by cabinet. If the decision is not called-in by the scrutiny committee a consultation period will commence.