English Heritage’s plans for a new footbridge giving access to a Neolithic tomb near Bath have been approved.
The existing timber footbridge across the Wellow Brook at Littleton Lane in Wellow provides access to Stoney Littleton Long Barrow, one of the country’s finest accessible examples of a Neolithic chambered tomb.
Dating from around 3500 BC and 30 metres long, it has multiple burial chambers open to view.
The current footbridge was built in 1983. It is need of “significant repair” and the best solution would be to replace it, English Heritage said in its application to Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The new steel and timber bridge walkway will be built on the same concrete posts, so no new excavation works are required on the riverbanks.
In the absence initially of a flood risk assessment, the Environment Agency had lodged an objection to the new bridge but that was removed after the information needed was provided.
The council said the new bridge will preserve the openness of the Green Belt.
