Designs approved for HS2's Dalehouse Lane bridge which will see road closed for over a year

By James Smith 5th Nov 2024

Design details for a new 50-metre bridge which will see Dalehouse Lane closed for over a year have been signed off by district planners.

HS2 has been given the final green light for the structure which will carry the busy road over the new rail line.

The works, which will cause the road into Kenilworth to close for up to 14 months, will eventually see a three-span overbridge built.

The HS2 Act decrees the bridge will be built at some point, with Warwick District Council only able to comment on certain aspects of the design - which have now been signed off.

A three-metre wide cycleway will also be integrated into the structure.

Signing off on the plans, a council report said: "Officers are satisfied that there are no alternatives required and the proposal is not considered to result in harm to the local environment or amenity, nature conservation or archaeology."

A drawing of the Dalehouse Lane overbridge (image via HS2)

Kenilworth Town Council has criticised HS2 yet again over the designs, stating the council was not consulted on the proposals before they were submitted.

Town councillors also criticised the lack of clarity in the planning application.

"There were very few plans or diagrams for members to reference that related to planning aspects," the council's objection said.

"Members did not find the engineering pre-construction drawings helpful in determining this application."

Plans show the bridge will be 50.6 metres long and 12.5 metres wide.

Embankments will be created on either side to raise the road over the bridge.

"The proposed approach embankments are to be steep-sloped reinforced earthworks," the application explained.

"The landscape earthworks are proposed for landscape integration and abut the approach embankments on the southern side of the proposed overbridge either side of the HS2 tracks."