Newenden Bridge

We will be carrying out essential maintenance work on Newenden Bridge, a 300-year-old three-span masonry arch that carries the A28 over the River Rother at the boundary between Kent and East Sussex.

Why we are making changes

The bridge is classed as a scheduled monument and it is our role to look after Kent’s historic structures to ensure they are safe for road users.

While the bridge is neither weak or in danger of collapse, assessments of the structure found that proactive maintenance work is needed to ensure the longevity of the historic structure, and to prevent future emergency works which can be more disruptive.

When the work will start and for how long

The proposed works are set to last 12 weeks and will require a full road closure to ensure the safety of our workforce.

The work will be on hold until we have engaged with relevant stakeholders, after which a start date will be announced.

How we will carry out the repairs

The bridge is classed as a scheduled monument which means any proposed work needs special consent from Historic England and must be managed by a conservation engineer.

It also means that we have to repair the bridge with the same types of stones as are used in the rest of the bridge. We cannot use materials that are used in modern developments.

This requires the use of lime mortar which takes time to cure and can be damaged by freezing weather. As a result the works will need to be completed when there is no risk of a frost and so a road closure for the works will need to be between early spring to late autumn once the necessary consents and approvals are in place.

Over time, the bridge stones have started to deteriorate and lose strength. The maintenance works will include re-pointing the structure and replacing individual stones. This will temporarily weaken the bridge and will make it unsafe for road users.

Next steps

We are currently engaging with the Environment Agency and other environmental consultees. Next, we will be engaging with local stakeholders to understand local needs and minimise the disruption for the area. Once this process is complete, we will be able to announce the date of the closure and the diversion route.

Diversion route

A full diversion route will be in published before the works start.

We will post updates to this page when they are available.