Proposal Bridge could pave way for new town
ABID to build a bridge over a railway line in Gloucestershire to unlock land for 10,000 new homes has been submitted.
The new bridge is expected to cost £8.1million and would be constructed over the Gloucester to Birmingham railway line, on the edge of Northway.
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s planning team validated the planning application on September 30, and it is proposed to be located closest to Sinderberry Drive, on the north-eastern tip of the estate.
The new housing development, in Ashchurch, is part of plans to build a new “garden town”, which could effectively double the size of Tewkesbury from 2050 with new homes, schools and communities.
A new road, cycle path and walkway bridge are being planned to connect the two green fields set to accommodate the garden town, which are divided by the railway line.
A garden town is purpose-built on an area of land and provides inhabitants with their own shops and local amenities.
According to the application, by Gloucestershire County Council, more than 30 objections have been raised so far by residents, with many stating concerns about flooding and an increase in local traffic. One objector, who signed off their complaint with “one very annoyed Northway resident”, said: “I am not opposed to new homes being built, but this is an absolute joke.
“It is bad enough living in Tewkesbury and trying to get out and about because of the traffic.
“The bridge that is hopefully not going to be built is not just for access to the town garden or whatever it is to be called, it is access to thousands of homes that by 2030 will fill up towards Kemerton.”
Another resident said: “I have lived around Bredon Hill for 45 years and it is heartbreaking to see this area, some of which is within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, having unsuitable developments.
“Tewkesbury is a wonderful old town which has already had some of its charm and character removed, and now more proposed development to add to this. Very sad.”
A design and access statement submitted on behalf of the county council said: “The scheme relates exclusively to the construction of the bridge structure and associated embankments over the railway.
“This will facilitate future development of the North Ashchurch Development Area, enabling the requisite crossing structure for a future road to be provided, recognising that the design and delivery of any such road will form part of the masterplanning exercise for the future housing development.
“The design of the proposed scheme has been prepared in liaison with the relevant highway authorities and is well considered and appropriate for its context.
“There are no environmental or technical constraints to development and the impacts are considered minor and localised.
“Appropriate mitigation measures are presented within the technical reports, which remove any impediment to the progression of the proposed scheme.
“It is respectively requested that the application is supported to enable the grant of planning permission.”
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government awarded the authority the £8.1m to deliver the bridge, to unlock parcels of land to the east of the railway line.
Those pieces of land are highlighted in a Garden Town Concept Masterplan, along with land to the west of the railway, as future development opportunities.