A key regeneration site has been unlocked for future development following the completion of a new bridge over the River Trent in Nottingham. Waterside Bridge forms part of the core infrastructure needed to further open up the 250-acre Waterside Regeneration Zone, helping transform former industrial land into a viable development area for future homes, commercial space and public amenities.
The new walking and cycling bridge directly connects communities on either side of the river, linking Victoria Embankment and Colwick Park. The route improves safe access to homes, leisure destinations, employment sites and major sporting venues, including the Nottingham Forest and Notts County football grounds and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.
Multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard was appointed to deliver project management, cost management and health and safety services through Perfect Circle, under the SCAPE Consultancy framework.
Designed to support sustainable and active travel across the city, the bridge connects the first waterfront neighbourhoods within the regeneration zone to the south side of the river. The improved connectivity is expected to help drive further development opportunities, including new housing, retail provision and public spaces.
Ricky Lee, Associate Director of Project Management at Pick Everard, said: “Delivering a project of this scale requires precise planning, from scoping out the end goal to managing timelines and maintaining quality and budget control.
“Waterside Bridge is an important symbol of progress, connection and stability. As well as bringing communities on either side of the river together, it is a significant indicator of the residential, leisure and commercial growth that lies ahead, supported by sustainable active travel options.
“This project has required close collaboration with all parties involved and together we have completed a piece of structural history, while inspiring future phases of the Waterside regeneration scheme.”
The 87-metre-long, 160-tonne bridge was fabricated using British steel by Britons Ltd in Hucknall and represents the first new bridge to be built across the River Trent since the 1950s.
Pick Everard worked alongside Nottingham City Council, principal contractor Balfour Beatty and a range of project partners, including Ramboll, Britons, the Canal and River Trust, the Environment Agency, Pedals, Blueprint, Geldards, Active Travel England and the Department for Transport, which funded the scheme. The bridge marks the final project delivered under Nottingham City Council’s £160m Transforming Cities Fund programme, which aims to encourage sustainable travel and strengthen connectivity across the city.
Kay Slade, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Regional Civils business, said: “The opening of the new Waterside Bridge marks an important milestone for communities across Nottingham. This impressive piece of infrastructure not only creates a vital new connection for residents and visitors, but will also support more sustainable, active travel across the city.
“We are proud to have brought this ambitious scheme to life, we’ve worked at pace since the project was first conceived in 2022 and have developed the complex design and navigated funding requirements and volatile markets to deliver the project on time and on budget. This has drawn on Balfour Beatty’s engineering expertise and working in close partnership with Nottingham City Council, SCAPE, and our local supply chain partners.”
Nottingham City Council Leader Councillor Neghat Khan said: “We are not simply opening a bridge, we are opening new connections, new opportunities and a new chapter for Nottingham.
“For the first time communities on both sides of the River Trent are directly linked by a safe, accessible and attractive walking and cycling route. That means easier journeys to work, safer journeys to school, better access to parks, green spaces, sporting venues, and local services. It will help to unlock the regeneration of the Waterside area, support new homes, new facilities, and new opportunities for our city. Nottingham has shown that we can deliver ambitious, integrated transport projects that genuinely improve people’s lives.”