Whitemountain Quarries won a £15 million contract to build a 1 kilometre road with two bridges in the Somerset town of Bridgwater. The construction work will begin on the 4th of April and it will include an access road to serve the Colley Lane Industrial Estate in the town and two bridges: one an in-situ concrete arch structure over the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal and the second a 52m long single span steel composite bridge over the tidal River Parrett.

“We are delighted to deliver the much anticipated Colley Lane Southern Access Road Project on behalf of Somerset County Council and fully understand the importance of the project to the local community. Whitemountain are committed to delivering a quality project that exceeds client expectations on time and within budget,” said Mark Kelly, MD of Whitemountain.

“We look forward to engaging with and supporting Somerset County Council and are committed to providing social value and community welfare in the delivery of the project, fully aligned with Somerset County Council’s Sustainability Plan,” he added.

The new link road will be crossing the site of a former brickworks, where the clay extraction pit has been filled with cellophane waste. The embankment of the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal Bridge will need to be built over it.

The new carriageway will give motorists the opportunity to access the Colley Lane Industrial Estate from the South, avoiding travelling on Taunton Road during rush hour traffic. It will also open up brownfield development sites between the River Parrett and the Taunton and Bridgwater Canal to support the delivery of planned housing and employment land.

One of the contributors to the development is Hinkley Point nuclear power station who invested £2 million as part of a £100 million commitment to support community projects.