The 200 year old hump backed bridge at Finchingfield, Essex, a conservation area since 1969, is under threat from Essex Highways who want to push through plans to demolish the bridge and replace it with something stronger and wider. They insist the use of brickwork cladding on the new concrete bridge would give it a "very similar look" to the old one.

Nonsense, says the Society for the Prevention of Ancient Buildings (Spab).  Not only will the new, larger bridge be out of scale with the rest of the village, but the concrete kerbs will be "especially unsightly". "The fact that the bridge does not conform closely to modern standards is a key reason why it is of special interest and not grounds to propose its replacement" says Spab.

Private Eye 17.03.2023