About the changes
The information on this page refers to the proposals for a one-lane replacement bridge if we are unable to secure funding for the two lane bridge.
Why is the project so much more expensive than you originally expected?
Estimates for the original project were based on a preliminary design and understanding of the project scope in 2021.
Project costs increased and the project was significantly delayed following design changes requested during our pre-planning engagement with the South Downs National Park Authority. With a further 30 attached planning conditions, this has meant that it has taken several more years than anticipated to achieve planning permission from the National Park. There were also unexpected difficulties in securing all third party land and rights required for the project.
This, alongside other factors, has led to an increased cost for providing the two-way bridge as well as more funding than anticipated being spent on the design process. These other factors include:
- Weak currency against the dollar
- Ongoing conflict in Ukraine
- Worsening labour and skill shortages
- Interest rate uncertainty
- Unprecedented inflation in the construction sector.
- Reduced steel production capacity
- Changes in government policy and fuel pricing
This has meant that the project cost has increased from around £10.76m in 2021 to £21.43m today, an increase of nearly £10m.
We have carried out a value engineering exercise to determine whether changes to the project could help reduce costs e.g. removing some elements of the design such as viewing platforms to bring it closer to the funding available. However, even if these changes were to be approved by the National Park Authority, it has not been possible to bring the costs down enough to get the project back in budget.
Taking extra time to seek planning approval for these changes would result in more expenditure on this part of the process and mean less is available for construction. It would also mean that we would lose the funding from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund we secured for the scheme in 2021. Therefore, sadly this is not an option.
Are these new plans definitely going to go ahead?
No. At the moment we are waiting for approval from the County Council’s Cabinet, the South Downs National Park (to agree we can progress the replacement of the existing bridge under permitted development) and the Department for Transport. We hope that we will know in the next few months whether we will be able to go ahead.
Why can’t you just leave the bridge as it is?
Due to its age, the existing bridge is costly to maintain and will require replacement in the near future. Making use of the Government’s Levelling Up funding to replace it, and to improve the design where possible at the same time, is the best and most cost-effective option currently open to us.
Will you build a two lane bridge in the future?
Further improvements to the bridge would be subject to planning permission and securing external funding in the future. Improvements would also only take place if it was a priority compared to other projects around the county. Therefore, it is unlikely that we would be able to build a two lane bridge in the near future.
Why can’t you wait until you can find enough money to build a better bridge?
The bridge is considered to be ‘life-expired’, is expensive to maintain and will need replacement in the near future. If the bridge were to fail and had to be closed it would cause major disruption to traffic and communities who use the A259 as well as to visitors to the Seven Sisters Country Park and National Park.
There is no certainty of future funding, so the difficult decision has been made to make use of funding we have available now to ensure that the bridge can remain open for the near future.
The majority of funding for the project has come from the Levelling Up Fund. A condition of the Levelling Up funding we received from Government is that it must be spent by 2026. It is very unlikely that other funding will become available during that time and if we wait we would also lose the £7.9m we have been given from the Levelling Up Fund.
Therefore, on balance, we have made the difficult decision that it is better to use the funding on a simpler replacement that will ensure the bridge can remain open.
I would prefer you to spend money on a new two lane bridge than on other schemes in the county.
Other major transport and highway improvement schemes are usually funded from external sources rather than council budgets. These external funders have specific goals in mind for the use of the funding and do not allow us to spend the money on other projects. All council projects are carefully assessed to ensure they are a top priority for the county and provide value for money. Therefore, we would not be able to use money from other projects where we have secured external funding to fund the Exceat Bridge project instead.
The intense budget pressures that the county council, alongside other councils, currently face means we are already having to sharply reduce our spending on long-term (capital) projects across the county.
When will the new bridge be open?
The plans have not yet been finalised and the timings will depend on a number of factors including agreement from the cabinet of East Sussex County Council, the planning authority (South Downs National Park Authority) and Department for Transport. However, we are hoping that construction will start during the second half of 2025 and finish in 2026.