Boxted parish council and a campaign group have voiced their anger at fresh plans for Boxted Bridge.

Essex County Council believes that the bridge, which provides a crossing over the River Stour across the Suffolk/Essex border, needs to be demolished and replaced in a project believed to cost around the £1 million mark.

The project sparked a fierce response from a campaign group called Save our Bridge - which launched a petition which has now received over 7,000 signatures.

East Anglian Daily Times:

Now Essex Highways has revealed the latest designs for the bridge which are with the planning department.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said the plans include "some alterations on the proposed design to more closely reflect the appearance of the existing structure."

However, Boxted Parish Council "believe that Essex County Council's plans for Boxted Bridge completely ignores the views of residents and experts in the field."

A statement from the council continues: "The latest plans issued by Essex Highways, a combined group of council staff and Ringway Jacobs, showed an even bigger version of their proposed new bridge.

"But a complete replacement is the most expensive and disruptive option to this quiet historic bridge over the river Stour in the heart of the Dedham Vale AONB (area of outstanding natural beauty.)

"The published cost is conservatively estimated to be at least £1million to fully replace this heritage bridge despite their own study recommended that a full replacement was not warranted and should not be pursued.

"There are 1150 Boxted electors but over six times this number, over 7400, people have signed a petition to save the bridge.

"Add to this Boxted Council, many national heritage bodies and the renowned conservation engineer, Ed Morton, have supported the option to repair it.

"Surely Essex Council has more important things to spend £1million on."

Save our Bridge has also responded to the plans, saying: "The special, unaltered character of this beauty spot in its AONB setting will be obliterated by an absurdly oversized and ill-proportioned, brand-new facsimile bridge.

"It would not only ‘urbanise’ its setting, it would stick out like a sore thumb in the surrounding rural landscape."

The group also questioned the need for a replacement bridge, the cost and requested that the plans are withdrawn.