Historic bridge to be dug up to provide new electrical line through Newquay
The plans were approved by Cornwall Council
A historic bridge, which has been described as being "savagely mistreated" over the years, is to be dug up again to provide a new electrical line through Newquay, despite the misgivings of local councillors and residents.
The National Grid applied for planning and listed building permission to cut a trench through the Trevemper Footbridge across the River Gannel, Newquay, in order to install electricity ducting for a new electrical line to the national grid connection at Trencreek Substation, which would feed the Nansledan development on the outskirts of the town.
A meeting of Cornwall Council’s central sub-area planning committee heard on Monday (23 October) that the original bridge was built in 1260 and various permutations were rebuilt over the years, with the current listed bridge constructed in 1860. The bridge is a single span, with a round arch with dressed granite arch-ring and keystone.
The footbridge, although used by the public, is not shown on Cornwall Council mapping as being a public right of way, bridleway or classified or unclassified road. It is, however, in Cornwall Council’s ownership and so falls to the local authority to maintain the bridge and would need to give its consent as owner to allow the proposal to proceed.
A planning officer said the work to take up the tarmac and put electrical duct underneath was not considered to be harmful to the original construction of the bridge, and recommended approval.
However, not everyone agreed. Cubert Parish Council has objected to the application, stating "the proposal will adversely affect a listed structure" and an "alternative route should be used".
Vice-chairman Lloyd Spencer told members: "The parish council’s concern is on two bases – the first is damage that may be done immediately by the installation of the conduit and, secondly and perhaps more importantly, the potential for future damage. What future, obtrusive maintenance might need to be carried out? What is the potential for serious damage if the mains burst?"
A representative from the National Grid said the work was part of a Government scheme to release more capacity in the network to aid local businesses and would involve the installation of 3.5km of cable.
He said: "The footbridge is not our preferred route. A road bridge proved unsuitable and a steel pipe across the river was refused by the Environment Agency as was a duct at the side of the bridge by Cornwall Council." Councillors were told the work wouldn’t touch the stone arch of the bridge.
Divisional member Cllr Adrian Harvey said Newquay Old Cornwall Society was totally against any more cables or pipes being laid across the bridge. "Some residents remember when a water main burst and washed away most of the bridge. It took the council a long time to repair it," he said.
"This is the second time there has been an application – the first was turned down and the planning officer told the applicant to go around the road bridge, which is what I think they should do." Cllr Harvey was corrected that the application wasn’t refused but withdrawn to look at the possibility of another route, and this is a resubmitted plan.
Cllr John Fitter asked: "Is there another route that money can buy that can take you across that road in a way that we’re not going to interfere with a bridge that has been savagely mistreated over the last 60-odd years.
"We have a duty of care and we should stand firm and say, no, I’m sorry you have to find another route to cross the Gannel. We’re not talking about the Amazon or some vast river, it’s merely a piddly little stream."
The National Grid spokesman said work on the road bridge would be disruptive and added: "Given a finite amount of money there’s always going to be a route, but as we’re being offered the money by Government we need to spend it in a sensible way. Two private landowners were offered generous amounts of money to use their land but one of them is still not agreeable to it."
Cllr Peter Perry responded: "I think it would be a tragedy if this money was sent back to Westminster. It would send a very negative message indeed. What we have at the moment is a historic stone bridge which has a tarmacked surface. All being well, what we’ll end up with is a historic stone bridge which has a tarmacked surface."
Committee chairman Cllr Alan Jewell said there should be a condition that the trench is dug by hand without the need for mechanical work. The application was approved by six votes for, three against and one abstention.