Report to: Executive Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Skills

Date: 13th August 2012

Report of: Director of Development & Report No: ECME/09/12 Regeneration

Contact Officer: Paula Connor, Project Officer Tele No: 6129

Report Title: Williams Street Section 106 Project – Bridge at Nob End, Final Design

Confidential / (Non-Confidential) This report does not contain information which Non Confidential: warrants its consideration in the absence of the press or members of the public

Purpose: To seek approval for the design of the bridge that is to be constructed on land at Nob End, Little Lever

Recommendations: The Executive Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Skills is recommended to approve the design of the bridge subject to planning approval and there being no objections from Meccano with regard to the concept of creating meccano style parts to construct the bridge.

Decision:

Background Doc(s): Report to Executive Member Development, Regeneration & Skills – Little Lever - Williams Street, Section 106 Project Proposal, 30th August 2011

(for use on Exec Rep) Signed: Leader / Executive Member Monitoring Officer

Date:

Summary: (on its own page with background docs)

Background Information

1.1 Cricketers View is a large development of private residential properties on Williams Street, Little Lever. Through the Council’s Development Control Policy Note for the Provision of Public Art (Jan 2005), a sum of money was allocated for the introduction of public art into the surrounding area for the benefit of residents of the property and the immediate area. The total amount allocated through Section 106 was £90k.

1.2 As the developer of the scheme did not wish to commission specific artwork for the development, a financial contribution was made to the Council to create artwork on a nearby or other appropriate site. As with other similar Section 106 agreements, Bolton Council has agreed that the site of the artwork must fall within the Ward. Under a Service Level Agreement between Bolton Council and Bolton at Home (March 2010), Bolton At Home’s Housing Percent for Art Services were appointed to provide a project management service relating to the development and delivery of a number of public art schemes in 2010 including the Williams Street project. Housing Percent for Art were selected to deliver the project due to their expertise and knowledge in terms of delivering and managing arts based projects. 12.5% (£11,125) of the £90k allocated for Williams Street is to be utilised to pay for Percent for Arts project management services and as such the construction costs and fees highlighted in Appendix One are within budget.

1.3 On 30th August 2011 the Executive Member for Development, Regeneration and Skills approved the concept of constructing a footbridge over the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal on land at Nob End, Little Lever which would create better links between Little Lever and Country Park and contribute to the long term renovation plans for the canal and to approve progression to Stage Two of the Project – Development of a Design Proposal. The Executive Member also approved that a Steering Group be set up consisting of relevant officers and stakeholders to guide the final design.

1.4 The final design is now complete and the purpose of this report is to obtain its formal approval.

Design Proposal

2.1 The final design proposal is to construct an iron work bridge made from steel fabricated pieces in a similar style to a scaled up meccano set. The pieces would be scaled up by 10 times. A Local steel fabricator will be used to make the required beams, nuts and bolts. Not only will the pieces be scaled up by 10 they will also be 10 times thicker and a thousand times heavier than meccano (See Appendix Two).

2.2 The Artist intends to contact Meccano before construction commences to notify them of the intention to base the beams, etc. on the style of meccanno out of courtesy and to ensure they do not have any objections.

2.3 The bridge will be built on the site of an old horse bridge and will complement environmental improvements that the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society are carrying out in the Nob End section of the Canal. The Society is planning to create a picnic area in this location and it is felt that the bridge will act as a focal point and a place to congregate for picnickers and members of the public alike. The bridge will complement the Canal Society’s long term aspirations to create a Visitor Centre at the site, to reintroduce water into this section of the canal and reopen the waterway.

2.4 The bridge will provide Little Lever residents with a means of access to and will act as a focal point to appreciate the environmental surroundings of the canal and surrounding area.

2.5 During construction the site will be fenced off and scaffolded in order to give a flat plain on which the bridge can be assembled. Local Volunteers will be invited to be trained to assist in assembly of the bridge. The creation of a design that the local community can help to assemble has been a key element of this project as it is felt that this will give the local community ownership of the bridge.

2.6 A planning application was submitted on Monday 18th June 2012 and it is anticipated that planning consent will be given towards the end of July/Mid-August at the latest. Subject to planning approval construction will be on site in September 2012.

2.7 The budget associated with the design and construction of the bridge can be seen at Appendix One.

Consultation

3.1 There have been a number of consultation and creative engagement activities undertaken with residents of Little Lever throughout 2010 and 2011. These include “The Ship Shape” Event which enabled residents to help construct a temporary boat structure which was made from recycled CDs. The boat was floated on the canal for several weeks and was popular with local residents. (See Appendix Two). In addition presentations on the project/design proposal have been given at Little Lever and Area Forum.

3.2 Since August 2011, the Artist, Liam Curtin has focused discussions, meetings and consultation on the design and construction of the bridge with Bolton Council’s Bridge Engineers, Planning Officers, Little Lever Ward Members, Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society and British Waterways officers’.

3.3 Local residents living in close proximity to the Nob End site were advised of the proposal by a letter dated 13th June 2012 and were invited to the Little Lever and Darcy Lever Area Forum on 18th June 2012 to raise any concerns they may have prior to the planning application being submitted. Residents have also been consulted through the planning process.

3.4 Ward members have been given regular updates at their Member Only meetings have been invited to consolation events with residents and to site visits.

Ownership and On-going maintenance

4.1 Bolton Council Bridge Engineers have drawn up a proposal which has been shared with British Waterways regarding the future ownership and maintenance of the bridge. The new bridge will be constructed on the line of a pre-existing Public Right of Way (Footpath Ref No LIL40). In view of this the Council proposes to adopt the new bridge and it be maintainable at public expense in perpetuity.

4.2 A commuted sum from the project budget has been allocated to fund the maintenance of the bridge throughout its lifespan. Any shortfalls in maintenance budget will be funded by the Council through their bridge maintenance budget.

4.3 As an adopted highway structure, the bridge will become part of the public highway although as with all adopted highways the land underneath the structure will remain in the ownership of the current land owner. In this instance the landowner is British Waterways. Should the public right of way eventually become extinguished for any reason in the long term, the council would be responsible for making good the land back to its original condition prior to adoption and/or making the area safe for re-use by British Waterways.

4.4 British Waterways have been made aware that by adopting the bridge the Council will have certain rights and obligations as a Highway Authority. Under the Highways Act 1980 the Council is required to provide a duty of care to highway users to ensure that highways and highway structures are safe to use. To enable this responsibility the same Act also gives the Council wide ranging powers of access in order to maintain their network. A drawing of the structure will be drafted that will show the limits of the adoption and will be included in the adoption agreement to avoid confusion around responsibilities for maintenance of the walls that may have a dual purpose i.e. bridge abutments and/or canal retaining walls.

Recommendations

5.1 The Executive Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Skills is recommended to approve the design of the bridge subject to planning approval and there being no objections from Meccano with regard to the concept of creating meccano style parts to construct the bridge.