Ottery footbridge and cycleway route altered

THE route of Ottery’s long-awaited �900,000 footbridge and cycleway project has been altered- but work on the pedestrian safety scheme is already underway.

THE route of Ottery’s long-awaited �900,000 footbridge and cycleway project has been altered- but work on the pedestrian safety scheme is already under way.

Driving forces were left with no choice but to “re-align” the path, which will cross the River Otter and link the Land of Canaan to the Thorne Farm estate.

Long-mooted plans incorporating part of the town’s derelict factory site were scrapped after the landowners failed to bag planning permission for nearly 100 homes and a Tesco store.

However, footbridge and cycleway organisers say progress is being made and revealed preliminary tests have been carried out. They hope work proper on a different route will be started by March next year and completed by September, with a planning application submitted by Christmas.

“The route has had to be re-aligned in order to avoid the area which was recently the subject of an unsuccessful planning application – land which is not in the council’s ownership,” said an East Devon District Council (EDDC) spokesperson.

“The new route means the bridge will ‘land’ on a site close to the Land of Canaan and the Tumbling Weir Hotel.”

Contractors appointed by EDDC have started digging test pits on land that will form part of the route.

The spokesperson added: “The test pits are designed to check the soil strata and indicate the necessary depth for any bridge footings. There is also a topographical survey to investigate the correct heights of bridge supports, given that the structure will be standing in a flood plain.

“It is hoped that a planning application can be submitted towards the end of the year, with work starting in the spring of 2011 and completion in late summer of the same year. In anticipation of the planning application being successful, some exploratory ground-works will start in the next couple of months.”