A project to replace the 150-year-old Stanhope Road bridge and protect the capital’s longest local nature reserve is underway.
Part of Parkland Walk, a 4.5km pedestrian and cycle route between Muswell Hill and Finsbury Park, the bridge needs replacing to achieve a 120-year lifespan.
A co-production exercise was undertaken to choose the best design option.
5-phase project
This project is being undertaken in 5 separate stages. Where indicative dates are shown, further details will be shared nearer the time ahead of the proposed phase.
Stage 1 – completed
- The contractor has established a works compound on the playing field at Channing School adjacent to Avenue Road in agreement with the school
- The playing field will be fully reinstated at the completion of the project
Stage 2 – ongoing
- Works have commenced to clear the vegetation necessary to undertake the Stanhope Road bridge reconstruction on Parkland Walk
- This phase of the project has been developed to ensure the protection of any fauna present, with due consideration given to the fact that the site is part of a local nature reserve
- These works will be overseen by an ecologist and, as detailed in the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal submitted in the approved planning application, checks for nesting birds will be carried out ahead of any clearance of (predominantly low-lying) vegetation
- Discussions have been held with the Friends of Parkland Walk for vegetation cuttings to be, where possible, re-used on the local nature reserve (e.g. dead hedging)
- During the vegetation clearance, it will be necessary to install a footway closure on Stanhope Road to keep pedestrians safe. Signage will be in place and only one footway will be closed at any one time
- Further enabling works will be undertaken on-site following the clearance of the vegetation, including the installation of tree protection fences and root protection measures
- Running adjacent to the boundary of Parkland Walk to the south of the existing bridge, a temporary walkway will be installed in preparation for the diversion of this local nature reserve during the main phase of the works (stage 3)
- Single, alternate lane traffic management will be required on Stanhope Road during these works
Stage 3 – pending
- The main works are to begin in mid-June with the introduction of a full closure of Stanhope Road for approximately 6 weeks to allow for the demolition of the existing structure and installation of new foundations
- Parkland Walk will be diverted onto the temporary pedestrian walkway until the completion of the scheme
- This diversion route will bring Parkland Walk users down to Stanhope Road using a combination of ramps and steps. Advanced warning signs will be installed to inform users that there will be no continuous level access along Parkland Walk while this diversion is in place. This route will remain in place until the completion of the works
- During the planned closure of Stanhope Road, traffic will be diverted via Shepherds Hill, Crouch End Hill and Hornsey Lane. Signage will be in place to advise motorists
- The W5 bus will run on a diverted route via Archway Road during the road closure. Full details of this diversion will be publicised ahead of the road closure and updates can be found on the TfL website.
Stage 4 – pending
- Stanhope Road will be re-opened under single alternate lane traffic signals until the completion of the project
- The pedestrian diversion route for Parkland Walk will remain in place
Stage 5 – pending
- A final, 2-week full road closure of Stanhope Road will be required in late October to install the new bridge deck and re-surface the carriageway
- Following this fortnight-long closure, the new Stanhope Road bridge on Parkland Walk will be opened
- The same restrictions from Stage Three will apply as per the previous full road closure and Parkland Walk diversion
Measures taken to protect the biodiversity, ecology and wildlife habitats at the site
We have tried to minimise any potential impact on the bird nesting season by felling the mature trees in and around the buttresses of the bridge in February 2023.
Some low-level vegetation has grown back since that time though and this is what is being cleared as part of Stage Two of these works.
We have appointed an independent ecologist to provide further oversight of the vegetation clearance and ensure that all necessary precautions are being implemented on site, including the implementation of an exclusion zone which is in line with industry best practice.
All clearance works are being carried out under an Ecological Watching Brief by both the independent ecologist as well as the contractor’s own environmental advisor. An ecologist has been on site for the duration of the works.
The ecologist carried out bird nesting checks on all areas before the start of any vegetation clearance works.
Two nesting sites were actively identified prior to the start of these vegetation clearance works and exclusion zones were set up around the nests at a distance agreed by the independent ecologist.
No works were undertaken in these exclusion zones until the nests were confirmed to have fledged on Tuesday 28 May.
Works that wouldn’t cause a disturbance to the birds’ nests continued away from the two exclusion zones and elsewhere on the site in the meantime.
Our approach to protecting birds is in line with our approved Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP).
The vegetation clearance has been carried out in two separate stages to minimise the risk to herptiles (i.e. reptiles and amphibians) and encourage them to move to the retained areas of vegetation.
The vegetation is firstly cut down to 300mm and is left for 24 hours to allow herptiles to move on. Then, prior to starting the second phase and the vegetation being cut to ground level, the ecologist undertakes a check for herptiles to be sufficiently satisfied that they have moved safely into the retained areas of vegetation nearby.
A range of measures have also been implemented to ensure the protection of the existing mature trees, including tree protection fencing and root protection matting.
Both the tree fencing and root matting will be assessed and monitored by our independent ecologist.
For further information on the Stanhope Road bridge replacement project, please email us at frontline.consultation@haringey.gov.uk.