BSP Consulting has supported the successful planning application to replace a bridge at Attenborough Nature Reserve, paving the way for an upgrade.
Site owners of the popular Nature Reserve near Beeston, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, submitted a plan to demolish the Works Bridge and replace it with a new one, which has already been constructed off-site. Plans were approved by Broxtowe Borough Council in September with works on the new bridge already underway.
The Works Bridge was initially closed before the trust purchased the reserve and was found to be unsuitable for bikes or horses before the site was bought in 2020. At the time, the bridge could not be repaired to a standard required for a bridleway and was closed for all in April 2023 following a safety inspection.
The BSP Consulting team were appointed by EMEC Ecology on behalf of the Nottingham Wildlife Trust mainly to carry out flood risk assessment around the plans for the new bridge.
The new 25-tonne replacement bridge, which was built off site in Wigan, arrived at the Reserve in two sections in early October. It will be assembled and lifted into place and the old bridge will be removed.
Tom Hall, Senior Flood Risk Engineer at BSP said: “It’s been great to support Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with this valuable project that will benefit the local community. We worked closely with the NWT team to get the detail right and avoid unnecessary extra costs. We’re looking forward to seeing the new bridge in place and connectivity restored for more everyone to enjoy.”
By replacing the old bridge, the new structure will restore the bridleway route through the reserve between The Strand and Meadow Lane.
Paul Wilkinson, chief executive of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust explained in a BBC article: “Once it’s in, inspected and everyone’s happy that it’s fitting properly and working well, we’ve got to do some work to re-landscape the area and build the access routes up to and around the bridge.
“It’ll probably be a couple of weeks before people can start using the bridge, but we just need to make sure everything’s right.
“This access is really important to people and we understand that. We’re delighted that we’ll be reopening this route.”
Following landscaping works around the bridge and safety inspections, it is hoped the new bridge will be open by the end of November.
For more information civil and structural engineering services from BSP Consulting visit: https://bsp-consulting.co.uk/
