Planning Application for a new ramp, car park and visitor centre at the iconic heritage site Bennerley Viaduct has been successful!
The Friends of Bennerley Viaduct are thrilled to announce that the planning application for the Eastern Ramp, Car Park, and Visitor Centre at the Grade-II* listed Bennerley Viaduct has been successful! The decision was announced this morning by Broxtowe Borough Council, whose planners had to process an outpouring of positive comments on the application, a significant display of Public support. Thank you to our members, friends and community who took the time to send letters. The successful application comes with no pre-commencement conditions, which demonstrates a strong endorsement of the need for this development, and the positive impact it will have on our local area.
This vital project can now begin. We will create an accessible ramp for pedestrians and cyclists, enhancing accessibility and active travel routes. Our new visitor centre and car park will develop the viaduct into a visitor attraction and place for local people to come together, with its new education space and community café. This development will help us share our incredible viaduct, and the beauty of the Erewash Valley, with tourists, cyclists, heritage enthusiasts and walkers, from across the nation and beyond.
The Friends of Bennerley Viaduct are very grateful to our key partners for enabling this project to happen, which includes the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Broxtowe Borough Council, Harworth Estates Ltd, Pegasus Group for their support with the application, architects Marsh Grochowski, Chartered Building Consultants Davey Stone Associates, Civil Engineers Nicoll McBrayne and Railway Paths Ltd.
The next steps:
Our team has dedicated significant effort to this design. The next steps are to progress the ecological surveys, address minor conditions with small adaptations, and work with our partners to schedule the capital works. This will take some time but we hope to see you all at a groundbreaking celebration shortly. The Friends of Bennerley Viaduct will be fundraising this winter for elements of the new centre and nature reserve area which sit outside of the generous grant. If you can support us please visit our website this winter for updates.
Pictured: Visitor centre architect impression.
