New Wear Bridge

New Wear Bridge
Official name	New Wear Crossing
Carries	dual carriage Way, pedestrian,cycling
Crosses	River Wear,
Locale	Sunderland, England, United Kingdom
Designer	Spence Associates / Techniker
Design	cable stay bridge
Material	steel and reinforced concrete
Total length	336 metres (1,102 ft)
Width	25 metres (82 ft)
Height	180 metres (591 ft)
Longest span	240 metres (787 ft)
Piers in water	1
Construction begin	2012

A New Wear Bridge is planned for Sunderland, North East England. The proposed design stands at 180 metres (590 ft), which when constructed will make it the tallest bridge in England..^[1] Originally designed by Spence Associates Architects in 2005, the plans were kept confidential for several years due to funding uncertainties. However following the United Kingdom treasury's agreement to fund a new river Wear crossing, the plans of the bridge became the subject of a public consultation against a far cheaper beam bridge design. The result was that the cable stayed design proved the most popular with the public and building this landmark design became the policy of Sunderland City Council.

Specifications

The Bridge is likely to be constructed to the west side of the city on the River Wear, with the purpose of reducing traffic congestion^[2]. The bridge was designed by Spence Associates in partnership with structural engineering firm Techniker, and has been tipped to become a landmark for the city.^[3] The bridge was designed in 2005, though was kept confidential for several years by the City Council to avoid a rise in expectations until funding was secured. Until then the council was also considering designs for a cheaper, basic design beam bridge.^[4] The cost of the design being estimated at £133 million for bridge and associated approaches and roadworks.^[5].

The crossing forms part of the vast regeneration plan of the urban regeneration company Sunderland Arc, who aim to use the bridge as part of their Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor plans to improve transport links while also helping to improve the city's image.^[2]

Background & history

In 2008, there was a public consultation on the bridge designs by Sunderland City Council to see if the public would consider the iconic design, or a more basic beam bridge design .^[6] After the consultation, the results showed that people in the Sunderland area were in favour of the 'iconic' design,^[7][8] with the council also backing the ideas^[9] meaning plans for a cheaper beam bridge were shelved. The council ultimately believing that the iconic design bridge could help attract more businesses to the city and thus create more jobs.^[10]

In September 2009, Sunderland City Council announced that building the landmark bridge became council policy.^[11] The United Kingdom government has already announced £93 million towards the construction,^[12] whilst regional development agency One NorthEast will pledge another £8.5 million towards it, with the council funding the other £23 million required.^[13]

An official planning application^[14] was placed with Sunderland City Council on 7 December 2009 with an consultation expiry date of 29 October 2010. Construction is timetabled to start around 2012.^[15] The decision for building the Spence landmark design became Sunderland City Council policy on 9 September 2009.^[16] On November 2009, public notices on the compulsory purchase of land and new rights for the project were published including side roads orders and bridge schemes notices, made under the Highways Act 1980. ^[17] On 1 April 2009, the Sunderland Echo make an April Fools' Day joke article, stating that the cables of the new wear bridge were designed to sway in the wind to create the tune of the Blaydon Races, a Tyneside song.^[18]

On 26 May 2010 Sunderland Council approved the planning application^[14]

See also

• Spirit of Sunderland

References

1. ^ Hoyland, Trevor (2008-12-01). "Next step in road to iconic Wear bridge". Sunderland Echo (Johnston Press). http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Next-step-in-road-to.4747133.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Regeneration projects: SSTC". Sunderland ARC. http://www.sunderlandarc.co.uk/regeneration-projects-moredetails.aspx?id=8. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
3. ^ James, Paul (2008-11-20). "Landmark Wear bridge to be Sunderland's symbol". The Journal. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/11/20/landmark-wear-bridge-to-be-sunderland-s-symbol-61634-22298878/. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
4. ^ Vaughan, Richard (2008-09-12). "Spence Associates' Wear Bridge comes face to face with 'basic' rival". The Architects' Journal. http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/spence-associates-wear-bridge-comes-face-to-face-with-basic-rival/1846083.article. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
5. ^ "Sunderland City Council: A new bridge for Sunderland". Sunderland City Council. http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/newbridge/. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
6. ^ "A new bridge for Sunderland....". Sunderland City Council. http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/newbridge/. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
7. ^ "New Wear Bridge Decision". Sunderland City Council. http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/showFeature.asp?Feature=152. Retrieved 2009-10-08. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "Communities give their bridge views". Sunderland ARC. 2009-07-10. http://www.sunderlandarc.co.uk/regeneration-projects-news.aspx?id=294&project=8. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
9. ^ "Council backs iconic Wear bridge despite the expense". New Civil Engineer. 2008-11-26. http://www.nce.co.uk/council-backs-iconic-wear-bridge-despite-the-expense/1935232.article. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
10. ^ "Bridge will be England's tallest". BBC. 2009-09-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/8235463.stm. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
11. ^ "Council to decide on new Wear Bridge". New Civil Engineer. 2009-09-03. http://www.nce.co.uk/news/structures/council-to-decide-on-new-wear-bridge/5207516.article. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
12. ^ "Funding for new Wear crossing approved". Sunderland ARC. 2008-07-31. http://www.sunderlandarc.co.uk/regeneration-projects-news.aspx?id=258&project=8. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
13. ^ "£133m iconic bridge a step closer". Sunderland Echo. 2009-09-03. http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/133m-iconic-bridge-a-step.5614495.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
14. ^ ^{a b} "09/04661/LAP Planning Application". Sunderland City Council. http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=KUE32ABB00P00. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 
15. ^ "Striking design for new Wear bridge". New Start. 2009-07-10. http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news/article/striking-design-for-new-wear-bridge/. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
16. ^ Robertson, Ross (2009-09-10). "'People's bridge'gets the go-ahead". Sunderland Echo. http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/39People39s-bridge39gets-the-goahead.5636441.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 
17. ^ "New Wear Bridge". Sunderland City Council. http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/newbridge. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
18. ^ Clark, Kevin (2009-03-31). "APRIL FOOL! Wear bridge will play Newcastle anthem". Sunderland Echo. http://www.sunderlandecho.com/video/APRIL-FOOL-Wear-bridge-will.5125422.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-08. 

Next bridge upstream	River Wear	Next bridge downstream
Hylton Viaduct	New Wear Bridge	Queen Alexandra Bridge