LAUNCESTON could see a new bridge over the River Kensey, connecting residents with their nearby industrial estate.

A pre-application has been submitted seeking advice on a new combined footway and cycleway including a new bridge spanning the River Kensey, linking Ridgegrove Lane situated north of the river and the Co-op car park on Newport Industrial Estate. The applicant is Cornwall Council.

The land the application would affect has various owners, although the local authority said it would acquire the land if the scheme progresses. This would mean the owner of the footbridge and path would be Cornwall Council. The scheme forms part of the local authority minor highways improvement programme.

Cornwall Council documents state: “The existing north-south pedestrian routes alongside traffic are problematic and uninviting, involving narrow pavement widths, poor visibility and road crossings near a busy roundabout at Newport Square.

“The scheme will meet Cornwall Council’s objectives of improving the environment, good health and wellbeing for everyone by providing a safe, sustainable travel option which will help to encourage more people to walk and cycle, increasing their level of physical activity and thus improving their health.”

The pre-application forms part of Cormac Solutions Ltd’s feasibility study.

Currently, the only crossings across the River Kensey are the road bridge and footbridge at St Thomas.

At a meeting of Launceston Town Council’s planning committee last Thursday, December 1, mayor Cllr Brian Hogan said there is ‘nowhere for it to land’ in the Co-op car park, and said engineers had recently been looking at the site, suggesting the footpath could ‘be a kilometre long’.

Deputy mayor Cllr Margaret Young said: “I honestly don’t think a link from Ridgegrove Lane to Co-op is feasible and useable. Can you imagine lugging your shopping a kilometre up that hill?”

However, Cllr Hogan added: “We are trying to promote development of Riverside. If this is the first step towards it then great.”