Residents living at a major new housing development in Highbridge will soon find it easier to access the town centre with plans for a new bridge over the River Brue supported by councillors this week.
Building work is underway on the huge Brue Farm development on the A38 Huntspill Road, where aorund 550 new homes and a primary school are being created.
As part of the outline plans, which were approved in December 2012, a new pedestrian crossing will be provided from the housing site to link up the new homes with Highbridge and Burnham Railway Station and Market Street.
Following a public consultation over the summer, Sedgemoor District Council’s Executive Committee has agreed this week to proceed with the project, allowing access to green space on the north bank of the river.
The proposals will see Hallam Land Management allowed access to nearly 3,000 square metres of green space that lies south of the station car park, to the west of the railway line – land which has been valued at approximately £5,000.
The new bridge would link the existing footways leading to the station and Market Street to a new riverside park being delivered as part of the Brue Farm development.
Because outline permission is already in place, and construction of the wider development already is underway, the project was not able to be included in a bid to the government’s levelling up fund – which, if successful, would see up to £20m shared between projects in Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet.
However, the project would complement projects identified within the bid, including the creation of a “mobility hub” at the railway station and improvements to the appearance of Market Street.
The public consultation produced only two objections to the proposals, with contributors raising concerns about anti-social behaviour and whether the location would be safe.
The objectors stated: “Anti-social behaviour is of huge importance for an already overpopulated, under-thriving area – under-thriving due to a lack of amenities.”
“While the bridge in itself can be a welcome addition to the town, without enforcing and making provisions for increased lighting from the offset, it will be a catastrophic wreck of a no-go area. The safety of residents within and visiting the town is paramount.”
“There is also an increased risk of children from Brue Farm playing on the River Brue bank on the far side away from the development. This section of the Brue does pose a particular hazard during high flows and during tide-lock when the water level will rise unexpectedly.”
But Sedgemoor Council Leader Duncan McGinty said these concerns would be addressed when a formal planning application for the bridge had been submitted.
He added: “Access across railways to get to centres of population has always been a thorny issue. Without this easement here, it would continue to be an issue.”
“I’d happily get this moving to provide access safely. I think a number of the objections are quite valid, but that is not a matter for us – that will be a planning matter.”
Councillor Bob Filmer, who chairs the council’s development committee, adds: “In principle, this particular site has been talked about for years with the Brue Farm development.”
“That was part of the thought of ensuring people could get access to the station and the town without having to use the local road network and adding to the congestion.”
The Executive Committee voted unanimously to approve the easement following a brief debate.
A formal planning application for the construction of the bridge is expected to come forward in the new year, notes the local democracy reporting service.
