National Highways’ retrospective planning application to retain the infill at Rudgate bridge near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, has been published. Members of the public only have until 2 April 2024 to submit comments, that’s less than two weeks!

The highly-skewed masonry structure dates from 1847 and was a product of pioneering railway engineer John Cass Birkinshaw, thought to be the first articled pupil of Robert Stephenson with whom he worked on several Yorkshire railways. Birkinshaw was also involved in the Leicester & Swannington, Liverpool & Manchester, Canterbury & Whitstable and London & Birmingham railways.

Infilling took place under Class Q emergency permitted development rights and involved the unauthorised felling/pruning of trees within an area protected by a Tree Preservation Order. This is what happens when a body sees these structures as liabilities and is allowed to force through schemes without appropriate scrutiny.

The bridge, carrying a narrow country lane over the former Harrogate branch of the York & North Midland Railway, had an assessed capacity of 32 tonnes and was in Fair condition according to NH’s inspection reports, although the planning application falsely claims it was in “poor” condition. Indeed, the examiner’s only recommendation when it was last inspected prior to infilling was to repair a nearby fence!

National Highways should not be allowed to get away with such an egregious and destructive act.

Please OBJECT to the planning application.

We’ve prepared a page of background information which includes a link to North Yorkshire Council’s planning portal where comments can be submitted. You do have to register, but it only takes a couple of minutes.

http://thehregroup.org/structures/rudgate

Many thanks for your support.