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Walton Bridge (Grade II Listed) Repairs


Dizzy

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Baz, seems it was Paul Kennedy lol

 

LOL.... I'm suprised Jo Crotty didn't come back for a photo opportunity; she was good at that.... as are most Lib Dums to be fair; if the photos on the rag that Keith Gleave drops round are anything to go by. 

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I emailed our planning enforcement (with a pic lifted from here) at midnight last night (case ENF/15/04804) but it's Paul's ward so he can sort it! Not sure EH will be rushing round - they tend to leave it to local action unless it's Grade II* or Grade I.

 

Peel may want to pretend it's "temporary" - and WBC is certainly telling them that can only be temporary until they get listed building consent for a proper repair. Apart from notifying EH, Paul's been speaking to senior management at Peel so we hope Peel now do the right thing - unauthorised work to a listed building is a criminal offence. And just undoing that mess will be costly - It's wrong brick, wrong bond, wrong mortar. I'd be interested in the lorry insurer's correspondence with Peel - I suspect they'll not be keen to pay for a temporary and a proper repair!

 

So which of my pics did you pinch without my permission Steve.. tut tut you do realise that the contents of this website are copyright and as those are my pics and I'm still alive so that's double copyright violation !! Just kidding and I don't mind really and glad they were useful to you as well :wink:   

 

Good to hear you contacted planning enforcement too after seeing it on here and the more the better in my opinion and it was all over facebook too yesterday (not my doing) and there were a lot of angry comments.  Quite a lot of people have been phoning and emailing various people including EH, parish council, wbc and peels so I bet it's been a busy day or so for all involved so far and a few red faces too no doubt :D

 

Like you say Paul K already had it all in hand though before I contacted him with my own mega moan. Wish I’d have asked him first and found that out before I went into one of my email and phone call rants to all and sundry, good job some people weren’t available ha ha.

 

I'd have loved to be a fly on the sandstone wall when EH saw it for real as I’m 99% sure they were definitely going down. 

 

If it does turn out to be 'temporary' repair though like Peels are apparently saying now then I don’t believe that for one second (reminds me a bit of the startled rabbits in headlights scenario).

If it was only meant temporarily then what a complete and utter waste of time and money both in supplies and labour costs and why would they go to the ‘trouble’ of buying bricks that are, according to the website they are from, meant for renovation and are ‘distress textured’ etc.  

Why not just use any cheap brick as it couldn’t have looked any worse could it…. or it may have even looked better. 

Infact why temporary anyway as it's not like it's hard to source bricks that would have been a much better match anyway and they have had weeks o get them  

 

Where on earth were WBC conservation/listed building planning control type people when the works started as surely they have a responsibility to check the materials being used etc.

 

Anyway it would be impolite of me to say any more as it looks like Gary’s been on the case too so I’ll leave it to him to report on it further or he may ban me.

 

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Peel Holdings not giving a crap about Warrington or its residents.  Get used to it folks, its gonna get worse.

Yeah I remember oh too well how carefully they looked after the Forge Machinery that was in their safe keeping after both pieces had to be moved from Stockton Heath due to redevelopment.  One got smashed up and found in a scrap yard in Liverpool waiting to be exported for scrap and had to be bought back off the scrap men for a lot of money by Caldwells and the residents who found it after a big search.  The other one was perfectly safe though in a secure area (according to Peels)... and it got pinched and was never seen again.

 

Anyway that's an old story so back to the bridge........................

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:lol: :lol: sorry didn't spot your pic.   I feel a little bad for laughing though as I do like PK and he's a very good ward councilor and always has been.  Just a damn shame he's a bloody conservative though ha ha.... :D  

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:lol: :lol: sorry didn't spot your pic.   I feel a little bad for laughing though as I do like PK and he's a very good ward councilor and always has been.  Just a damn shame he's a bloody conservative though ha ha.... :D  

 

well he was an independent for a long while so he's not averse to switching :)

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I reckon somebody was 'thinking swiftly' when they came up with the temporary repair thing, you can turn up at a brickyard with half a brick and the world is your kiln fired oyster, the last time I went it took me half an hour to get away from a feller who should be on Mastermind, specialist subject 'The history of house bricks'...   

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Re: the missing original bricks mentioned in the report.

They were taken away by Peels  on 18th Feb on MSCC flat barges.  I've seen a photo of them piled up on the barge and heading off down the Bridgewater through Grappenhall but not my photo so can't upload a copy to here.

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English Heritage and Warrington BC do not have Walton Bridge on their Listed List and although Walton Parish have 7 bridges over/under Bridgewater Canal, Walton, Walton Gardens and Toastrack(1941) are the 3 not Listed. Warrington's List may not have been revised for some time - some interesting properties listed - Woolworths Sankey Street  :P Arguably, one third of Walton Bridge (over the towpath) is in the Walton Conservation area so it does merit special attention and as I feared new dressed stone copings are even more of an eyesore than the out of character new red bricks. Why the rush to complete the job and have the bridge open again before last weekend ?? Must be a necessary route for 2 Acre Van Park.

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I'm not quite sure what you mean Pedro re English Heritage not having it on their Listed List.  Are you sure about that as it's detailed online and on their listed buildings website having been listed in 1983.  It is English Heritage Building ID: 59006

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-59006-walton-bridge-walton-

 

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First the bad news - Walton Bridge has not been listed. Walton has seven over/under Bridgewater Canal bridges but Walton, Walton Gardens and Toastrack (1941) bridges have been left out. Warrington's list of listed buildings/structures looks in need of review when you see entries like 'Woolworths - Sankey Street' :P  The good news - a third of Walton Bridge (over the towpath) is arguably within Walton Conservation area which should merit some requirement for a proper restoration of the bridge. Last week's rebuild looked like a rush job with the bridge reopened before weekend and my worst fears realised with use of 11 new dressed stone copings which, like the new brickwork, are no match for the originals.

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That's sort of the same as you said last time which I didn't quite understand Pedro so still no clearer where you say again that Walton Bridge is not/has not been listed nor has Walton Gardens bridge (called Walton Lea Bridge by the way) when both are

As you were confusing me and we were getting no-where I just rang English Heritage to double check in case I was actually wrong. Seems not... but you are...as English Heritage have confirmed that both bridges WERE Grade II listed in 1983 and both STILL ARE Grade II listed like I said.

They did say though that in the case of severe damage or repeat repairs to a building/bridge leading to it being far from original in looks it 'could' be delisted but that would require the owner (in this case Peels) having to apply and go through the Local Planning Authority (ie WBC) and they are not aware that this is currently the case with the damaged Walton Bridge. Just to be on the safe side though maybe someone should ask the council :wink:

As for the 1941 Toastrack Bridge... if you mean the one on Walton Drag well why on earth would anyone want that listings?

Regarding your other comments about the new stone copings... I have been reliably informed by Clr Paul Kennedy who is on the case as you know that Peel Holdings have now confirmed to him that a stone mason is going down to dress the new stone copings so that they match the originals as closely as possible. The stonemason was waiting for them to properly set before carrying out his work. Peels have also now said that the contractor will also be aging the new bricks to hopefully be a better match too.

So once again I find myself saying 'well done' to Clr Paul Kennedy for not only taking it all on board and getting something done about it but for also keeping locals who have asked about it fully informed to.

PS for future reference the actual English Heritage listing number the two bridges are as follows

Walton Bridge is 'List Entry 1139316'
Walton Lea Bridge (to Walton Gardens) is 'List Entry 1136109'

And EH said not to use the 'british listed buildings' website as the listing numbers on there are the old ones and the website never gets updated as it's not theirs. In future we should all use the NHLE listing database available on English Heritage's own website :wink:

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A one off post to say, I love it and thank you PJ...if only I still looked as young though. Kindest Regards & Best Wishes to you all, Paul

Delighted to see one of our old regulars making a post - even if it is a one off!

We are a much friendlier bunch now that Dizzy is in charge!!! :mrgreen:

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Hi Paul and it's good to see you on here again but a shame it's only a one off.  I'm sure we'll manage to get you back on again though if we try, maybe a spoof pic every week would do it  :lol:   

Keep up the good work .. are you sure you can't drop that blummin' conservative badge though  :lol:  :wink:

Don't go away just yet though as I'm about to upload the photo's I took today showing the latest stage of the bridge repairs (I think it might be finished now) oh and also the answer to the question regarding the missing original bricks .....

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