Access fears over state of old bridge
ACARE home owner has spoken of his fears that a hamlet will be cut off unless an historic bridge is properly repaired – after four large stones on the parapet fell into the River Irwell.
Double-arched Grade II-listed Holme Bridge in Townsendfold, Rawtenstall, is the only access to and from Holme hamlet with its 17 properties and Holme Manor Care Home, which has 30 residents.
Ryan Godwin, who took over ownership of the care home on Holme Lane in 2008, said issues with ownership and repair of the bridge were nothing new and had been ongoing and been reported for decades.
He said: “I last contacted the chief executive of Lancashire County Council in January 2021, and told her about the problems with the bridge, but the reply I got back just said there was nothing that the council could do.
“When the care home was extended in 1994, as part of the planning consent, £10,000 was given as a Section 106 agreement to be spent on maintenance of the bridge. I understand most of that money has not been spent.”
The parapet of the bridge has slab walls which sit on the edge. Some of the stones have been tied together by an external metal buckle, but some of these reinforcements have also failed.
Ryan said: “The bridge has been tarmacked over many times and I believe that is what caused the stones on the top to be pushed off the side of the bridge.”
Lancashire County Council has fitted bollards around the missing parapet stones, but a further seven are also leaning outwards towards the river and a wall at the westerly end of the bridge has also moved.
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “We are aware of the issues affecting the privatelyowned Holme Lane Bridge, and recently responded to make the bridge safe following a report of vehicle damage to the parapet.
“The county council has no responsibility for the maintenance of the bridge, however we have engaged with Rossendale Borough Council to discuss potential solutions to the emerging issues affecting the structure.”
Some repairs to the parapet were carried out using the Section 106 money and around £8,000 remains, but that is not enough to cover the cost of repairs.
Ryan added: “It would seem more efficient to put the repairs in hand before more parts of the bridge fall into the River Irwell, and it is in such a state that it needs completely rebuilding.”
The bridge was built by the Townsend family and a datestone on the centre says 1830. Before the Edenfield by-pass was built, there was a second access road from the hamlet which went to Cutgate at Haslingden Road.