England: Duncan Baker, Member of Parliament for North Norfolk, was pleased to announce a major development on the Stiffkey Bridge situation. The MP said that after he visited the bridge’s site at Christmas, he wrote an open letter to the National Trust to express the views of both the residents of Stiffkey and himself.
He stated, “My primary concern was safety and the risk that families could be cut off from the rising tide if the bridge was not replaced. At the time, the National Trust explained that they were finalising a full site review. I have continued to represent everyone and lobbied to see the bridge replaced.”
Duncan Baker felt delighted to say that the National Trust has agreed to provide a further update and is now progressing with their PLAN TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE, and have sent the following to him:
“Following the removal of Stiffkey Bridge in 2022, which was no longer structurally safe, we have been determining our next steps in a complex inter-tidal landscape. We’ve needed to take time to understand and review the situation fully. With indicative costings at nearly £250,000 and ongoing maintenance required, we also needed to ensure we used charitable funds appropriately.
We carried out impact assessments, spoke with specialists and partner organisations, reviewed data, and took the local community’s views on board.
We can confirm that the National Trust has decided to move forward with its plan to REPLACE THE BRIDGE, with the caveat that we still need to secure planning permission & explore funding options.
The National Trust provides access to some of the most special natural places in the UK, including Stiffkey, one of Europe’s biggest salt marsh areas. We are also responsible for the wildlife that lives on the marsh, which can be affected by footfall and disturbance.
As in many places, we have to balance access for people with conservation. On this occasion, the health and safety risk is such that we have decided to replace the bridge.
We hope people will understand why it was important for us to conduct a full review and why we have decided.
We cannot give a timescale at this stage as to when the new bridge will be in place or what the design will look like. We know it’s not a quick fix, as the bridge must be engineered to withstand coastal forces. However, we are now at a stage where we can progress with those plans. In the meantime, signage reminds visitors that the bridge is no longer there.”
