Plans have been submitted for a bigger, stronger road bridge at Peel harbour.

The Department of Infrastructure has applied for planning permission for a two-lane road bridge with pedestrian access that can accommodate a 44-tonne vehicles and a one in 200-year flood event. Spending of £410,000 has been approved for the project.

While the works are carried out, access to the far side of the harbour would be from a temporary single-lane vehicular bridge that would be built in the boat park.

It’s expected the works will take 16 weeks to complete.

In a DoI planning statement of case submitted as part of the application it states: ’The department has tried to balance a number of key factors with the new bridge planning application: improving community protection and resilience when there is a risk of flooding, returning the new bridge as soon as possible to assist local residents and businesses, engineering practicalities and aesthetic impact.’

A bridge was first built over the river Neb at the junctions of West Quay, East Quay and Mill Road in 1938, with strengthening works carried out in 1952.

In 1990 a structural assessment recommended a 20-tonne weight limit as the hardwood superstructure was ’nearing the end of its design life’.

Repairs to the hardwood timber frame in 1992, when a new bridge was considered.

Instead, the timber deck was replaced and a rolling programme of repairs were undertaken on the structural frames.

The replacement bridge will be on the same site as the existing bridge.

It will feature a reinforced concrete deck on steel beams on the existing masonry abutments.

The approach to the bridge would be improved and the carriageway over the bridge would be rebuilt and realigned.

The statement of case explains: ’The new design of the bridge provides two lane vehicular and pedestrian access linking east and west quays.

’The realignment of the new bridge deck will still encourage slow vehicular movement on both approaches to the bridge.

’The design will still allow manoeuvring of large vehicles including coaches and HGVs.

’It will permit the movement of 44 tonne vehicles as well as abnormal loads to and from the breakwater.’

The DoI told the Examiner: ’We intend to complete as much of the works as possible before closing the old bridge, however for planning and budgeting purposes we have scheduled the temporary bridge for a period of 16 weeks.’