How third river crossing will look
WALTON’S TEMPORARY BRIDGE HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION FOR MANY YEARS - BUT WORK ON ITS REPLACEMENT - THE THIRD BURTON BRIDGE – IS TO START SOON
THE first image has been released showing what the new Walton Bridge will look like as work is due to start on replacing the ‘temporary’ one that has been used for more than 70 years.
The bridge will replace the narrow, single lane Bailey Bridge at Walton which was only ever installed intentionally as a temporary measure years ago. The Bailey Bridge will remain however, but will no longer be used by cars as it is turned into a pedestrian-only walkway. The bridge is a major crossing between Burton and South Derbyshire, used by thousands of drivers.
It comes as the name of contractor carrying out the work has been revealed - Breheny Civil Engineering, whose head office is based in Huntingdon, near Cambridge.
The firm was appointed by developers West Midlands Countryside, which is building 1,500 homes at nearby Drakelow Park. A condition of the planning agreement to build the homes means a third river crossing must be built.
Countryside said the crossing will be built before the occupation of the 400th home on the new housing estate.
Subject to Countryside getting detailed planning permission from South Derbyshire District Council for the first phase of homes project in September, construction of the bridge is expected to start this autumn with completion currently anticipated by spring 2023.
The first phase of the development at Drakelow Park will comprise approximately 1,000 homes,
of which 400 will be affordable housing through Countryside’s registered partner, Midland Heart.
A total of 154 will be available for private rent with Simple Life and more than 400 homes will be for sale through a range of buying initiatives, it says. A further 500 homes will be built as part of the development’s second phase.
Countryside has also entered into a new legal agreement to provide a new primary school, medical facility and play areas at the development and will also make financial contributions towards secondary education, local amenities and highways improvements as part of a planning agreement.
Adam Daniels, managing director at West Midlands Countryside, said: “When we acquired the site in March this year we inherited Drakelow Park Group’s vision to create a thriving new neighbourhood that brought with it vital investment in the area, and this is an ambition to which we remain wholly committed.
“We are working closely with our partners and stakeholders to move
forward with our plans for the development and an important part of this process has been understanding the local need for the third river crossing, which will ease traffic while becoming a catalyst for further investment opportunities in the area.”
Simon Burnside, joint managing director at Breheny Civil Engineering, said: “We have been working with Countryside delivering major infrastructure projects for many years and are delighted to achieve preferred contractor status to work with the client and design team to bring the Drakelow Park scheme to site.”
Countryside’s work at Drakelow Park will also include the refurbishment of the Grade II Listed former Drakelow Hall stable and will add to the 193 homes currently under construction.
Countryside is also in talks to acquire an additional parcel of land that will unlock the development of a further 450 homes, bringing the Drakelow Park development to a total of 2,200 homes as per the Local Plan allocation.