Clarification report fails to mention Boxted bridge listed on Colchester Borough Council Local List

The bridge is looking so beautiful today in the spring sunshine with blossom in full bloom. 

Highways latest submission, 'Clarification Report' point 4. Clarification relating to heritage claims that the asset 'is not recommended for listing (by English Heritage) for the following principal reasons:   'Lack of architectural interest'.

Yet the report fails to mention that Colchester CBC listed the bridge on their Local List. The Colchester CBC Local List (750 heritage assets in total) seeks to safeguard selected non-designated heritage assets that, although not suitable for designation nationally are valued by the local community and make a significant contribution to the heritage of Colchester and the surrounding villages.

The report does not mention the strong representations in favour of preserving the bridge from ten heritage bodies including SAVE Britain’s Heritage, The transport Trust, CPRE Essex, Colchester Civic Society and the Suffolk Preservation Society. 

The report ignores the Heritage Assessment Conclusions ad Recommendations: “The significance of the bridge is drawn from its architectural interest as a complete and unaltered example of c.1900 bridge. This is also in a wider location which has been subject to very little change; the setting and experience of this heritage asset, and those adjacent, is considered to contribute to their respective significance.”

Approach 1. the preferred option: “The bridge is fully retained, and sympathetic repairs are undertaken which do not detract from the architectural interest of the structure. Should this approach not be viable then it will need to be robustly justified. All other alternative approaches will result in harm to heritage assets”.

SAVE OUR BRIDGE!