Long-awaited plans to build a bypass for Newtown are being fast-tracked as a priority – with windfarms being taken into consideration as the proposals push forward.

Public consultations will begin in September and campaigners hope it will finally bring a solution to the bottleneck caused by the A483 – a major cross-Wales route – going straight through the town.

Residents have been calling for a Newtown bypass for more than half a century.

Andy Phillips, for the Wel-sh Assembly, today confirm-ed work was being progres- sed and windfarms had been taken into consideration.

He said: “The Newtown study is being progressed as a high priority because this section of the A483 forms an important part of the North-South routes in Wales.

“The movement of windfarm components to the Strategic Search Areas in Wales is one of the considerations in this study.”

He said: “Consultants ha-ve been appointed to investigate the options, including a bypass, for reducing congestion in Newtown.”

He said a public exhibition to consult the public on plans for the bypass would take place in September.

Last year a firm of traffic consultants was appointed to investigate ways to reduce traffic problems in the town, with a bypass being one of the hot favourites.

Councillor Russell George, member for Newtown Centre, said the bypass continued to be a priority for Newtown. He said: “Without it, I believe attracting business and jobs to the area will be difficult.”