WORKS to carry out intrusive testing of a historic bridge will determine its loading capabilities.

Listed building consent has been submitted to Darlington Borough Council for the carrying out of intrusive testing of Piercebridge Bridge, The Green, Piercebridge.

The current structure dates from the early 17th Century, is Grade II* listed and is a Scheduled Monument. The bridge straddles the Piercebridge Conservation Area.

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The bridge was strengthened by the then highway authority, Durham County Council, in the 1970s, and currently bears no weight restriction, though it is not rated for abnormal loads

A loading assessment is currently being carried out on the bridge to ensure it can cope with current traffic flows, and to confirm, or otherwise, that weight restrictions are not necessary for the structure to retain its serviceability.

It is proposed to drill a maximum of 12 cores of 100mm diameter into the arches of the bridge, at depths up to 1.0m. The cores would be removed for testing, but the first 50mm of each core would be retained.

The surface would be reinstated with the retained capping masonry.