Lisburn became a city in 2002, and continues to see rapid growth not only as a residential region of the Belfast Metropolitan Area, but also as an employment centre in its own right. In west Lisburn, Knockmore Road and Prince William Road were opened in 1978 to allow the growth of this part of the city, and it is now largely developed. The 2004 "Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015" (BMAP) allocated a large area of land (about a square kilometre) south of A3 Moira Road and north of the M1 for industry and commerce. This area is currently rural, traversed by the Blaris Road.

The BMAP has included provision of a link between the M1 and Knockmore Road, which must be provided by private developers wishing to develop this land. The proposal is designated "LC 17/01". The required junction on the M1 itself was built in 2003 by the developers of the Sprucefield area. This map shows the proposed route of the rest of Knockmore Link in red (or see the official map here):

The proposed road would begin beside the Sprucefield park-and-ride at junction 8, and travel across the relatively flat land of the Lagan Valley to the existing Moira Road / Knockmore Road junction. This would be of enormous benefit to the city, as it would mean the bulk of traffic heading to the west of the city would no longer have to go via the city centre along Hillsborough Road as it does at present. The road would require the construction of a new bridge over the River Lagan, which would be a substantial structure. The only road it would meet would be Blaris Road - see pictures below.

The new road would likely be built to two-lane single-carriageway standard, with an A-classification. It would likely take the number of either the A520 Knockmore Road, which would be its continuation to the north, or the A101 Sprucefield Link Road, which would be its continuation to the south.

Updates

18 Dec 2011: According to one of these Written Answers from Stormont last week, it is possible that part of the road may be provided soon. It says that "a small section of the Knockmore Link road is required by the Maze regeneration site to help facilitate its development." It does not explain what this means. Since the only other road the Knockmore Link would meet is Blaris Road, this may mean providing a new link to Blaris Road, since Blaris Road continues west to the Maze regeneration site. If so, the "small section" mentioned would be either (a) the stretch from M1 j8 to Blaris Road, or (b) the stretch from Knockmore Road to Blaris Road. Either way, it would be another piece in the jigsaw of this scheme - although the first of these would probably be of more benefit to the public at large. The Written Answer goes on to clarify that "these options [for road access to the Maze site] will be subject to scheme development and planning approval and the promoter of the site will be expected to provide the road infrastructure", ie confirming that Roads Service will not be paying for it.

Photos

At the south end of the scheme, this is the entrance to the Park-and-Ride at M1 junction 8. It looks as if the entrance to the facility has been designed to eventually become the start of Knockmore Link Road.

Looking east along Blaris Road, Lisburn, from near the point where the proposed Knockmore Link Road would cross it left to right. Taken April 2006. [Wesley Johnston]

Looking south from Blaris Road, Lisburn, at the point where the proposed Knockmore Link Road would cross it. Looking along the route of the proposed road towards M1 junction 8. Taken April 2006. [Wesley Johnston]

Looking north from Blaris Road, Lisburn, at the point where the proposed Knockmore Link Road would cross it. Looking along the route of the proposed road towards west Lisburn. Taken April 2006. [Wesley Johnston]

Looking south from the existing Knockmore Road, Lisburn, where it meets the A3 Moira Road (left to right ahead). The new road would terminate here, turning it into a cross-roads. Taken Feb 2007. [Wesley Johnston]