A road in Hazlemere that experienced ‘nightmarish’ flooding earlier this year will be closed for a week in the autumn as highway teams repair a ‘historic’ sinkhole.

Infrastructure contractor Balfour Beatty was initially granted permission to close the B474 Penn Road in Hazlemere for three weeks in September for ground investigation surveys into a “subsisting road surface” that has caused problems in the village for months.

And chair of Hazlemere Parish Council and county councillor Catherine Oliver told residents this week that – despite fears over an up to 18-month closure for the necessary works – the surveys had found less “extensive” damage than had been assumed.

As a result, and following meetings between Buckinghamshire Highways and the contractor, it is now estimated the road surface can be reasonably “brought up” to the wider level in a week, with a closure of the same length likely to be enforced “around the end of November”.

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A two-way traffic control system will remain in place until November 1, with the highways team reportedly acknowledging “issues and failures” with the calming measures and pledging to “make sure they are rectified as quickly as possible”.

In February, Buckinghamshire Council said the sinkhole had been caused by a “historic issue” and its inconvenience was exacerbated by bad weather throughout the spring and summer months.

Penn Road was closed several times in May when the collapsed structure became flooded, creating a “nightmarish” build-up of “gridlock” traffic through the village, according to one resident.