Riverside footpath to be restored after weir damage
Vikki Irwin/BBCA footbridge damaged after heavy rain is to be restored as part of a longer-term plan to protect the area from the "increasing challenges" of drought and flooding.
The Hawkeswade Bridge at Ufford, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, forms part of a popular route for walkers beside the River Deben but has been out of bounds since April.
Persistent rain had caused a weir structure to fall away, which in turn caused the bridge to partially collapse and water to flow on to surrounding land.
At the time, the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust said it created "significant damage to habitats along a large stretch of the river".
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The weir breach caused a water-filled crater known as Ufford Hole to drain on to surrounding land.
Water levels in the Deben dropped by more than a metre as water flowed down a side channel towards the East Suffolk rail line, and the downstream channel was left in puddles.
Councils and a consortium of landowners and farmers have worked with the Environment Agency and others to form an action plan, with restoration of the footpath deemed a "top priority".
Preparation work is expected to begin by early autumn as a first step to reopen a route described as "well-used and much-loved".
The parish councils of Ufford, Melton and Bromeswell said the dried-out channel from Old Melton Mill to Ufford Hole would be cleared this month to allow water to flow back to the mill.
"Looking further ahead, the project aims not only to restore the footpath but to improve the resilience of the surrounding landscape," their statement added.
"Plans are being developed to help protect the footpath, neighbouring farmland and the railway from the increasing challenges of winter flooding and summer drought."
The broader plan required "significant" additional funding, it added, with possible opportunities for people who "value this special area" to support the project.
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