‘Important’ canal bridge could collapse

by Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

A Grade II listed bridge on the Montgomery Canal, near Welshpool, needs urgent wors carried out or it is in danger of collapsing, it has been claimed.

The Luggy Bridge (pictured) carries a lane from the A483 trunk road between Welshpool and Newtown to the Upper Luggy Farmhouse near the Horseshoes Inn at Berriew.

It is likely that the bridge was built in the late 18th century between 1794 and 1797 during the first phase of building the canal which finished at nearby Garthmyl.

After consultation with Powys County Council (PCC), The Canal and River Trust has already decided that repairs to the bridge are needed to prevent it collapsing, as it is the only means of access to the farm.

The Heritage Impact Statement says: “Luggy Bridge is an important structure on the Montgomery canal. A principal inspection of the structure was undertaken in 2003.

“A further inspection was carried out in 2015 by Canal and River Trust engineers, with ongoing monitoring of its condition since that time.”

The inspection found that there was significant parapet cracking, possibly caused by settling and/or rotating wing walls, vehicle impact damage at the end of the south east parapet, brick degradation and widespread cracking.

In 2003, the bridge was assessed as being in “fair” condition but by 2015, following inspection it was downgraded to a “poor” condition. Monitoring since then has shown that the bridge is still deteriorating.

The statement adds: “By November 2017, with the continuing deterioration of the bridge and concerns now raised by Upper Luggy Farm, the Trust contacted PCC indicating that emergency works would be needed to safeguard the bridge from possible collapse and ensure that the sole means of access to the farm form the A483 could be maintained.”

A spokesman for Powys County Council said that planning officers were recommending consent to the scheme which had now been passed on to CADW for comment.