Repairs planned for cracked listed bridge

One of the cracks is visible down a corner of the Spital Old Bridge

Plans have been submitted to repair a Grade II listed bridge in a coastal town.

North Yorkshire Council said Whitby’s Spital Old Bridge is currently in a "very poor" condition due to a number of cracks, damaged stonework, and vegetation growth.

The planning application stated that if approved, the original sandstone stonework would be preserved and planned repointing would be done using a natural cement mortar.

The application said: “The proposed works are essential to maintaining the bridge’s functionality and preserving its historic fabric."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, The Old Bridge is located to the west of Spital Bridge and is associated with Whitby’s industrial development in the 19th Century as it adds “a layer of historical and economic importance” to it.

The bridge is on Historic England’s National Heritage List which highlights its importance as “part of the nation’s historic infrastructure, particularly as a 19th Century stone arch bridge with considerable architectural and historical merit."

A report to councillors said temporary scaffolding would be set up and “anchors and stitching techniques that strengthen the bridge’s core without necessitating extensive dismantling or removal” would be employed.

It went on to say that a mortar mix of cement, lime, and sand would be used as this choice of material is “critical” due to the tidal nature of the watercourse.

A “hot lime mix would not have sufficient time to set before being submerged in tidal waters,” the documents stated.

Council engineers said that there will be no disturbance to the watercourse during the project and a bat survey is scheduled to be conducted before any work begins.

A report submitted alongside the application concluded: “The repairs will not materially alter the permanent external appearance of the structure from its original intended look.”

North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the application.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.