A LARGE HOUSING ESTATE is being built in Skipton that requires a canal bridge to be either replaced or rebuilt to handle the increased vehicular traffic.
Too narrow
At present the bridge over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is thought to be too narrow to handle the the expected increase in traffic, Janet Friend reports.
So a feasibility study is being planned into either replacing or rebuilding the narrow bridge to improve access to new housing estates.
North Yorkshire Council is hoping for funding from Homes England for a review of Horse Close Bridge over the waterway in Skipton..
This study would then assess whether it was better to upgrade the bridge or construct a new bridge further along the canal.
Demands improvements
The Local Plan demands improvements to the crossing if the two housing estates are to be built, with nearly 200 homes, with the council agreeing to accept a £21,000 grant for the study.
The narrow bridge represents the main barrier to these estates being built. It is not a listed structure.