The completion date for work on Moss Bridge in Rodley has been pushed back by a further month, it’s been revealed.
The old bridge was removed earlier this year with a new one being installed to cater for a proposed new housing development on the former Airedale Mills site.
Reopening dates for the new swing bridge have slipped own several occasions and were originally due to be finished in the Spring. The latest completion date was 14 December, but an update from Leeds City Council planners this week revealed the date had slipped again until no later than 9 January 2023, possibly sooner.
A spokesperson said: “We’ve recently received an update from the contractor relating to the bridge, which appears to have been delayed slightly, but this is more to do with installing services such as a water connection to the residential site which involves the need for chlorination testing.
“The services are going underneath the new footway and therefore the developer feels that it would be prudent to await the test results from the laboratory (approximately 10 days) before they lay the surfacing to the new footway. Otherwise, if the testing results in the need to change something and they had already finished the footway, then it would need to be dug up, resulting in abortive work.”
The developer told Leeds City Council: “The contractor is still on programme to open the bridge to road vehicles by 23 December 2022, but they can see the logic behind the possibility of “glitches” in the opening mechanism which may need some “tweaks” during the holiday period, so they have reviewed the situation and amended their programme.
“The contractor understands the public desire for the bridge to be open as soon as possible, but considers the revised programme to be a reasonable solution to the situation on site and to satisfy the discussions with Canal & Rivers Trust.”
The delays in installing the new bridge have frustrated both Rodley Nature Reserve and Rodley Cricket Club, who have been left with severely reduced access over the past 12 months. The developers have promised to compensate both organisations.
WLD understands councillors in both Bramley & Stanningley and Calverley & Farsley wards are monitoring the situation closely.
A decision on a detailed planning application for the proposed 66 houses on the Airedale Mills site has been delayed again until January or February 2023.
The developers of this site have continually displayed a total disregard towards the nature reserve, the cricket club and the local community. If the council is doing its job properly it will ensure that the company is heavily fined for this arrogant attitude.
January 2023 called. It says the bridge is still not ready. New estimated completion date April 2024.