Latest plans for Alma Bridge to be considered by County Council

The design of a replacement for Alma Bridge has been controversial:
Futures Forum: Design of new Alma Bridge: "While some decribed it as 'hideous' and 'ugly', others said it was 'impressive' and the town was 'very lucky' to have secured funding."
Futures Forum: Design of new Alma Bridge released >>> "the proposal isn’t the prettiest footbridge but the engineer is literally up against a hard place, ie a steep sided cliff face"
Futures Forum: "The Ham needs something rather more special: the proposed new Alma Bridge is functional but undistinctive"
Futures Forum: The 'monstrous inappropriateness' of the new Alma Bridge design >>> 'The position cries out for delicate curves not flint like hard slabs.'Futures Forum: Design of new Alma Bridge released
Futures Forum: Latest plans for Alma Bridge to be considered by Town Council

It looks as though the final plans have been put together - and will be looked at by the County Council’s development management committee in due course: 
Plans for new £750k Alma Bridge at Sidmouth officially submitted | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald 

This is from Devon Live:

New Sidmouth bridge will cause six months of disruption

Formal plans for a new £750,000 footbridge over the River Sid on Sidmouth seafront have been submitted.

COMMENTS

Daniel Clark Local Democracy Reporter
0 AUG 2018



New artist impressions of the proposed Alma Bridge in Sidmouth
by Taboola

The formal plans for a new £750,000 footbridge over the River Sid on Sidmouth seafront have been submitted. The new bridge will be further inland to prevent it falling into the sea as the coast erodes.

Devon County Council’s own application to replace the 130-year-old Alma Bridge with a new structure, 37 metres upstream from the existing bridge, has been validated by the council - but could lead to six months of disruption.

While the building works for the new bridge are taking place, the popular seafront recreation ground, the Ham, could be fenced-off, while the Hanger Path, the current footpath leading up to Cliff Road will be closed.

Sidmouth Town Council, the Devon Countryside Access Forum, East Devon Ramblers, Devon Public Rights of Way team, South West Coast Path team and the Devon Safety Audit were all consulted on the plans prior to the plans being submitted and a public exhibition on the scheme was held in April.



New artist impressions of the proposed Alma Bridge in Sidmouth

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for bridges and local County Councillor for Sidmouth, said: “A lot of thought and effort has gone into the design of this bridge to ensure it’s accessible to all users as well as being an attractive addition to this end of the town.”

A planning statement submitted with the application says: “A new pedestrian footbridge is proposed which will replace the existing Alma footbridge located at the mouth of the River Sid at the eastern end of Sidmouth Seafront.

“The existing bridge structure is in poor condition and the foundations have suffered several significant scour events. Hence to allow the bridge to remain open, as a precaution, a temporary scaffold bridge over-spanning it was installed in 2012.

“Due to the ongoing significant coastal erosion it is anticipated this temporary arrangement will be lost within the next few years.”



Alma Bridge in Sidmouth as it is at the moment

There has been a bridge in this general location for at least 130 years linking up the town of Sidmouth on either side of the River Sid., and the proposed replacement bridge scheme will secure the South West Coast-Path at Sidmouth for the foreseeable future, the documents say.

They add: “The existing bridge will remain open during the new bridge construction to allow a route for beach access and emergency beach egress only.”

Hanger Path, the current footpath leading from Alma Bridge to Cliff Road though will be closed for the duration of the construction works, lasting around six months, as a section of it will have to be realigned.

Devon County Council’s development management committee were determine the fate of the application at a later date.

New Sidmouth bridge will cause six months of disruption - Devon Live
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