This view will be gone for ever if the bridge is demolished. Please write to object!

This staggeringly beautiful view from the bridge in springtime of masses of pink blossom cascading down over the river will be lost forever if Essex Highways is granted planning permission to demolish and replace the bridge. The replacement bridge parapet will be too high to see over the edge as currently and the 50 year old plum (prunus cerasifera nigra) will have to be cut down to make way for the wider bridge.

Please write an objection to  mineralsandwastedm@essex.gov.uk  quoting Essex CC Ref CC/COL/106/21 and copy to Babergh DC planninggreen@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk quoting Ref DC/22/00050 by deadline April 14th.

Here is a list of suggested objections to the planning application:

1. Engineering Overkill! A 40 tonne Standard bridge at the junction of three very rural (unclassified) minor approach roads?  Judicious departure from Standards is part of current Essex rural traffic policy (Essex Local Transport Plan 2011-2025, 9.3 Priorities for our rural areas)
2. Option 7B flies in the face of recent changes to The Highway Code to improve the safety of people walking, cycling, and riding horses. A wider bridge is all about the convenience and speed of cars and lorries!

3.  More HGVs with 7B! A wider Boxted Bridge would be a path of least resistance for HGV’s and a future danger for the AONB, should Highways ever ease restrictions.

4.  No costs made public. “Taking into consideration the advantages, disadvantages and cost of the sub- options Option 7B is progressed….” (Consequences 2.3.2). 7B is likely to be vastly more expensive and problematic to build than suggested. Boxted PC are still waiting for a Value for Money report requested on 28 October 2020! Who in their right mind would give the go ahead to this without knowing costs first? When there are better, cheaper, recommended alternatives 6A, 6B, 7A
5.  Heritage. The Clarifications report fails to mention Colchester CBC listed the bridge on their Local Plan. 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.

      THANK YOU! SAVE OUR BRIDGE!