School House Bridge wins at West Midlands ICE Awards

The project, a joint effort by Shropshire Council and several contractors, was highly commended for the Heritage award and won the Best Small Project of the Year 2024 award.

The reconstruction, completed in January 2024, was a key element in the ongoing restoration of the Montgomery Canal, which runs 33 miles from Frankton Junction in Shropshire to Newtown in Powys.

The canal, originally constructed between 1794 and 1821, was abandoned following a breach in 1936 and legally closed in 1944.

Restoration efforts have been ongoing since 1969.

The earth causeway across the canal (photo taken in 2015)  (Image: Shropshire Council)

School House Bridge was demolished in the late 1960s and replaced with an earth causeway across the canal bed.

Its restoration was the last major obstacle to reopening the final dry section of the canal remaining in Shropshire.

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The newly constructed bridge is 6m high, 10m long and 6.5m wide, built using an innovative Flexiarch system, Maccaferri Terramesh reinforced soil embankments and gabion wing walls.

Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for highways, Dan Morris, said: "This is great news and deserved recognition for this important and fantastic work.

"My thanks and congratulations go to all involved.

"Reconstruction of the bridge will enable the full reopening of the canal up to the Shropshire County border, preserving the county’s cultural heritage whilst also enhancing the local ecosystems in a sustainable way."