The application for the proposed Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing has been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Transport.

(Norfolk, England) Development consent has been granted for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing in Norfolk.

The 50m clear span twin bascule bridge and its highway approaches will provide a new link across the River Yare, alleviating congestion, reducing journey times, and stimulating growth in the seaside town. The detailed design is being delivered by Roughan & O’Donovan (ROD), Hardesty & Hanover (H&H), who provide global expertise in movable bridges, and Proworks, a Norfolk-based architecture firm. The design is on behalf of a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Farrans Construction.

An application integrating BAM Farrans, ROD, and H&H’s successful tender design for the structures with Norfolk County Council’s specimen design for the highway works was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by Norfolk County Council on the April 30th, 2019. It was accepted for examination one month later. Following an examination during which the Applicant, Statutory Consultees, and Interested Parties were given the opportunity to provide evidence to the Examining Authority, a recommendation was made to the Secretary of State on June 24^th, 2020. The final decision was confirmed by the Secretary for State for Transport, Grant Schapps, on Thursday, September 24th, 2020.

Jim Thorpe, transportation director and lead of ROD’s UK office in Otley, Leeds, said: “We are delighted that the project team has achieved this significant milestone, and we are pleased to have contributed ROD’s expertise in the planning and design of UK highway infrastructure.” Graham Plant, deputy leader at Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “This is fantastic news. We’re now tantalizingly close to making this much-needed bridge a reality.” “Not only will it make getting around so much easier for many people currently living and working in the borough, but it will support the town’s key industries, including those linked to offshore energy and maritime sectors,” he added. Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis echoed said: “The Third River Crossing will be transformational for the borough and will bring meaningful benefits to local businesses – especially those in the energy sector.”

The multidisciplinary design team based out of the United States (H&H), Dublin and Otley (ROD), and Norwich (Proworks) is currently finalizing the complex detailed design. BAM Farrans JV is preparing to start construction in January 2021, and Norfolk County Council is submitting the Final Business Case. The opening of the new link is planned for 2023.