Nottingham City Council approves plans for River Trent bridge

Proposals for the steel arch bridge now need to be submitted for planning permission

Plans to build the first new bridge over the River Trent in Nottingham in decades have been unanimously approved by the city council.

The £9.2m footbridge at Trent Basin will link West Bridgford and the city centre.

The proposals will now need to be submitted for planning permission.

Councillor David Mellen, leader of the city council, said the bridge would "add to Nottingham's skyline" and be "useful".

The structure will be the first new bridge over the River Trent in Nottingham since Clifton Bridge opened in 1958, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), reports.

'Really beautiful designs'

During the city council's executive board meeting on Tuesday, Mr Mellen said: "There are a number of iconic shots of Nottingham, market square, Wollaton Hall and maybe the windmill.

"The river is often featured and having another bridge will add to Nottingham's skyline, as well as it being useful. The designs look really beautiful as well."

Trent Basin was chosen as the preferred site for the steel arch bridge after Poulton Drive and Trent Lane were discounted as options.

The bridge will make it easier for walkers and cyclists to access places like Colwick Park from the south side of the river as well as Nottingham Forest's stadium.

At the meeting, councillor Linda Woodings said: "When I put the Waterside planning document through the executive board 12 months ago, it originally had three different locations for the bridge.

"The one we settled upon was the one we felt would be most used especially by cyclists to try and divert them away from Trent Bridge which is very narrow.

"The location they've picked is ideal because it links in with cycle infrastructure."

The boundary between the city council and Rushcliffe Borough Council runs along the centre of the river, so a joint planning application will now need to be submitted.

The government-funded bridge is expected to open in spring 2023.