Congham bridge infill allowed to remain

The national storm over the infilling of redundant bridges and tunnel has taken a rare turn with a local authority losing its legal battle against National Highways.

The Planning Inspectorate has ruled that the foam concrete inserted into St Andrews Lane bridge over the former M&GN King’s Lynn-Great Yarmouth line (closed in 1959) at Congham does not have to be removed despite an order from West Norfolk Borough Council.

The decision will be a blow for campaigners to reverse works carried out on other structures across the country which are claimed to have been costly and unnecessary, blocking former routes and impeding the development of cycleways and footpaths.

Congham was infilled in at a cost of £127,000 in 2021 because it was claimed to be unsafe, but the work was done without planning permission. This was unanimously rejected when it was applied for, and NH was given 12 months to removed 1,000 tonnes of concrete. Its appeal has been upheld, and the council has accepted the ruling.

Planning inspector Laura Renaudon said in her report: “The harm to the value of the heritage asset is regrettable, but needs to be balanced against the asset’s overall low significance, and the fact that the bridge is preserved, albeit buried.”

She noted that the bridge, which is one of five constructed in Marriott Reinforced Concrete (MRC), patented by M&GN Chief Engineer William Marriott and installed in 1926, was in poor physical condition and vandalised. The inspector also pointed out that the council had not shown any interest in it before the work was carried out. Only the parapets are now visible, and while unlikely, the work is potentially reversible.

This decision is in sharp contrast to the stone bridge Great Musgrave in Cumbria, where NH was instructed last year to have its infill removed at a cost of £352,000, three times what it cost to do to the work. It has reopened without any weight restrictions being placed upon it.