Haverfordwest 'Instagrammable' bridge to go ahead despite cost

Work on a town's "Instagrammable" new footbridge is to go ahead, despite concerns over its cost.

The £5.7m project in Haverfordwest is part of the Heart of Pembrokeshire regeneration scheme and is backed by 90% UK government funding.

Pembrokeshire council leader David Simpson said cancelling the bridge now would mean losing that backing.

As a result the local authority would have to stump up £900,000 from its coffers to fund a replacement.

Pembrokeshire council cabinet members were told that a simple like-for-like copy of the existing bridge - described as being in "fair to poor condition" - could put levelling-up funding in jeopardy, leaving the authority to foot the total bill itself.

The bridge project - described as "Instagrammable" by councillor Rhys Jordan - is in the town's conservation area and includes work on a nearby plaza, as well as the refurbishment of the former Cleddau Foundry building.

It is part of a wider regeneration which includes works at the town's castle, the Western Quayside retail development and a new transport interchange on the site of the former multi-storey car park.

In a earlier meeting Mr Simpson said: "If we cancelled the actual bridge now we would lose the 90% funding, meaning it would cost us more than having something really nice in the centre of town which will be an asset to the community."

Rhys Sinnett, the cabinet member for residents' services, said the project was "an integral part of the vision of the future of Haverfordwest" and "good value for Pembrokeshire taxpayers".