New Pooley Bridge starts to take shape

Fabrication of what will be the UK's first stainless steel road bridge is underway at WEC Group in Lancashire. The new Pooley Bridge will replace the original and much-missed Grade II listed 3-span stone arch structure, built in 1764, that was washed away by the floods in December 2015. The new bridge has been painstakingly designed following an intense stakeholder engagement process, capturing the common aspirations of the community to provide a unique and elegant bridge, respectful with the landscape and the history of the site, and which robustly fulfils new design criteria for flooding. The new crossing, a single flat stainless steel-concrete composite arch, is a modern application of a classical bridge form.

Working for Cumbria County Council, Knight Architects is responsible for the concept design and stakeholder engagement process and, more recently, has been supporting the council as Concept Guardian during the ongoing Design and Build Stage. The bridge is being built by Eric Wright Group alongside GHD Group as contractor engineer.

Related project: New Pooley Bridge