This month marks the fourth anniversary of the closure of part of Old Chester Road for the replacement of a bridge.

In July 2017, the road was closed for just 15 days. Little did the residents know that they would still be affected by it in July 2021!

The Old Chester Road story dates all the way back to 2011, when Cholmondeley Estates was granted planning permission to demolish the existing bridge – which was in poor condition and considered unsafe – and install a new one.

However, this permission was never acted upon, and it wasn't until summer 2017 that the road was closed and a new application was submitted for the bridge replacement.

Although the proposal was approved in January 2018, it was not until last year that the conditions of approval were met by contractors, who were finally able to begin work demolishing the bridge in February 2020.

The new concrete bridge was completed by the spring, and it seemed like the end of the closure was finally in sight.

However, while the new bridge was being put in place, 'significant structural problems' had been discovered in the walls lining the road.

The fact that part of the site is not owned by Cheshire West and Chester Council has complicated the possibility of repair work, so further delaying the road opening.

Then, in December 2020, a retaining wall at another section of the road by Rake Cottage collapsed. The owners of the land had already submitted a planning application to reinforce the wall at this point, but it has still not been approved.

So, the Old Chester Road saga continues. Let's hope that this fifth year will also be the last!