The road project has been given permission and support, and is expected to also bring more than 2,000 homes
The M3 J9 improvement scheme is worth £290m, and is intended to reduce commute time.
The journey time is expected to be reduced by a third, and Southampton and Portsmouth ports will also be more well-connected.
The money for the M3 J9 improvement scheme comes as part of the Plan for Change
The Plan for Change has been put in place to drive infrastructure growth and investment. The M3 J9 improvement scheme is expected to bring faster and safer journeys around South Hampshire, particularly in Winchester.
Between the M3 and A34, an estimated 20% of overall journey time will be saved during peak hours. 2,000 new homes will also be supported by the scheme, similar to the A47 Thickthorn Junction bringing 43,000 new Norwich homes.
Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “Anyone who uses this junction knows how frustrating it can be. But our £290 million investment will save thousands of hours for commuters, tourists and freight every week, unlocking the true potential of our ports to deliver economic growth.
“We’re building rather than blocking so that we can get our economy growing. Approving these works, and the 2,000 homes it will support, is just another milestone on the way to delivering 1.5m homes in this Parliament as part of our Plan for Change.
“This government is investing in vital road schemes with huge economic benefits, and so far we’ve invested half a billion pounds for 6 schemes across England to renew our long neglected national infrastructure.”
Not the first time the scheme has been approved
Last year, in May, National Highways announced that the scheme was approved for £90m less than the current announcement.
At the time, National Highways senior project manager, Tom Beasley, said: “We are delighted with today’s announcement that the DCO for the M3 junction 9 improvement has been granted. We look forward to commencing construction to start solving the issues at the junction.
“This represents years of working with local communities and key stakeholders to create the best possible solution. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the development of the project so far.
“We will continue to work closely with people to keep them informed and minimise disruption as we move into the construction phase.”
It is unclear what happened between then and now to cause a re-confirmation of consent, nor what constitutes the increase to £290m.
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