The relief road was originally meant to be completed by March 2023 but has been hit by a series of delays and revised timetables with the house builder now hoping to complete the route by the end of this year.

Cllr Jim Thorndyke, Cabinet Member for Planning at West Suffolk Council, said: “We have seen delay after delay and excuse after excuse. I am frustrated, annoyed and disappointed by this latest delay by the developers.

“We know how important this relief road is to the community and to the sustainable growth of the town and we want it delivered without further setback. Through serving this notice, our expectation is this delay will be the last.

“It is both expedient and in the public interest to serve a formal Breach of Condition Notice to Persimmon, to ensure they stick to the latest delivery timetable they have now put forward.”

The relief road will serve the 1,100-home north west Haverhill development.

An additional Breach of Condition Notice will also be issued over Persimmon’s failure to deliver a play area and public open space on time.

A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes told the East Anglian Daily Times: “We are fully committed to the delivery of the Haverhill Relief Road and would like to apologise to residents for the delay. We are working as quickly as possible to complete the road despite several significant challenges outside of our control.”