More than 80 people have so far objected to National Highways’ retrospective planning application to retain the unnecessary infill under Rudgate bridge near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. The deadline for comments is next Tuesday so, if you can find five minutes over the Easter weekend, please add your voice to those who have already submitted objections.

The bridge, carrying a narrow country lane that’s effectively limited to 3t, was infilled because of a failed capacity assessment of 32t. National Highways describe its condition as “poor” despite the company’s own engineering records describing it as “fair”. In its last pre-infill inspection, the examiner’s only recommendation was to repair a nearby fence.

The structure is in the Green Belt where development is only allowed in “very special circumstances”, but National Highways claims there was “no viable alternative” to infilling, ignoring the cheap, simple and sympathetic option of routine brick/stonework repairs! The scheme was not subject to public scrutiny, having been pushed through under emergency permitted development rights.

NH’s contractor also felled and damaged trees “accidentally” (according to the Yorkshire Post) in an area protected by a Tree Preservation Order, without the local council’s authority.

These were not the actions of a responsible public body, carrying out its work with due care. This was unwarranted vandalism of an eye-catching and highly-skewed masonry arch bridge, engineered by John Cass Birkinshaw, reputedly the first articled pupil of Robert Stephenson with whom he worked on several Yorkshire railways. The structure was a monument to the skilled craftsmen who erected it in 1846.

Please OBJECT to the planning application.

The HRE Group has 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’s very quick.

http://thehregroup.org/structures/rudgate

Many thanks for your time and support.