A new 240-home town centre development could pave the way for High Wycombe’s controversial flyover to be demolished, campaigners claim.

Developers have been given the green light to build 239 apartments on the former Gas Works site in Lily’s Walk as well as 15,845 sq ft of commercial space.

The news comes just weeks after WDC revealed exciting plans to build a new Aldi supermarket and box park for artists in the Desborough area – adding to a number of plans as part of a town centre overhaul.

Inland Homes – which is also developing former Ministry of Defence site Wilton Park, in Beaconsfield – will fund a link road from the site towards Desborough Road, joining High Wycombe’s much-debated Alternative Route scheme which aims to divert traffic away from the town centre.

Campaigners are now looking ahead in light of the new plans and believe if the Alternative Route proves to be successful it could spell the end of the Abbey Way flyover - the future of which has been uncertain for years.

It is also hoped that changes to the layout of the flyover will allow plans to reintegrate the River Wye, which is currently buried underneath High Wycombe, back into the town centre.

Chris Woodman, from the High Wycombe Society, hailed the plans saying there “should be plenty of housing in the town centre”, adding he wants to see the flyover removed as soon as possible.

He said: “We like it. There should be plenty of housing in the town centre we like the height of the build. It is relatively high on one side then the other is lower.

“We are in favour of the link road because we want to see the flyover gone.”

However, any changes to the flyover will depend on the popularity of the Alternative Route, according to Mr Woodman, which has attracted criticism over suggested design flaws.

He added: “We will have to wait and see. They are doing the right thing building it, but we will have to see how popular it is.

“I would like to see the flyover removed as soon as possible but realistically it will be in 10 years – we have to think long term.

“It would be a huge open space in the middle of town with the river showing, but it all depends on removing this flyover. We will have to see how it works out.”

High Wycombe Town Committee member, cllr Brian Pearce – who is set to become the next mayor of the town in May – has also called for the flyover to be removed, but admitted to fears over infrastructure.

He said: “What happens is they build these houses and the infrastructure and the roads are left to the county council which can’t afford to fund it. The infrastructure should be given more thought.

“When they built that flyover concrete was liked, it was wonderful stuff and it is not now and to think the river is underneath it. I have had a lot of people complain about it.”

Cabinet member for transport at Bucks County Council, Mark Shaw, insisted that “there is absolutely no question that the money is not there” when it comes to providing infrastructure for development.

Chief executive of Inland Homes, Stephen Wicks, said: “Now we have planning permission we are very much looking forward to creating substantial town centre regeneration and in the process relieving traffic congestion for everyone in the heart of High Wycombe.”