Major works to convert a junction into a roundabout will get underway next month - and will feature the full closure of two busy roads.

To deal with an influx of hundreds of new homes on Abbey Barn Lane in High Wycombe and improve safety, developers Berkeley Homes agreed to build a new three-arm roundabout at the Abbey Barn Lane and Heath End Road junction.

There have been a number of crashes over the years at the junction, which is often used as a cut-through to east Wycombe from the M40. Heath End Road is a national speed limit road, as was Abbey Barn Lane until the section approaching the junction was lowered to 40mph.

Work on converting the junction into a roundabout will begin in April and is expected to continue until completion in August.

At first, there will be three-way temporary traffic lights to manage vehicles for around two weeks.

Then, Abbey Barn Lane will be temporarily closed to start the roundabout building work and Berkeley Homes say a "significant portion" of the roundabout will be built then in a bid to prevent disruption on Heath End Road.

Those who work at the Abbey Barn Business Centre and Berkeley Homes construction traffic will be allowed through the road closure.

The final stages of the construction work will be for road surfacing, which will require both Abbey Barn Lane and Heath End Road to be closed for two days.

Berkeley Homes say this work will be carried out at the weekend to minimise disruption to drivers.

As part of the roundabout works, the entrances to both the Carrington Estate farm and Flackwell Heath Moto Park will have to be moved.

In a briefing to the Bucks Free Press on the plans, land manager Joe Harding said a number of residents have already moved into some of their newly-built homes in the development as of September last year, but added: "We want to get the roundabout issue resolved before many more people move in.

"We're starting work in April, after the bank holiday, with the intention for completion at the end of August."

It has not been confirmed if there are plans to lower the national speed limit on Heath End Road - either for the whole road or the stretches approaching the new roundabout - but Mr Harding said the addition of a roundabout would "hopefully bring that speed down unintentionally".

The official diversion route around the Abbey Barn Lane closure will be through Flackwell Heath and down the A40.

Construction traffic will be going to and from the M40 via Daws Hill Lane and Marlow Hill and not through Flackwell Heath, Mr Harding added.

Berkley Homes were given permission to build up to 550 new homes on Abbey Barn Lane in July 2019.

Part of their plans include a new public open space around The Dell, improved pedestrian connections around the Deangarden ancient woodland, a public right of way connecting Daws Hill, Abbey Barn South and Deangarden woods and a new access road off Abbey Barn Lane and spine road through the development to connect it to the Taylor Wimpey Daws Hill Lane development.

Bus routes will also be diverted through the new Abbey Barn site, and Mr Harding said the addition of a roundabout will help them navigate the lane.