Riverside walk is step closer

Hopes are rising that a mile-long riverside walk will be created from Mill Bridge to Northgate Retail Park, Newark.

At present the way is blocked by Bradford Moor scrapyard at Cow Lane.

Sources say Newark and Sherwood District Council hopes to find the money to finance the huge bill for the relocation of the scrapyard and making the land safe.

Kelham Hall hopes that the walk would become a big hit with tourists who would be able to walk past some of Newark’s best known attractions.

The walk would begin at Mill Bridge with views of the weir, town lock and the Riverside Park. It would pass the castle, Trent Bridge the Millennium Bridge, and Northgate Brewery, which is being redeveloped as homes and shops, and end at the retail park.

Council cabinet member Mr Roger Blaney said he hoped there would be progress in 12-15 months.

The head planner, Mr Mike Evans, said that once the walk was in place money would be spent improving the Riverside Park.

The council hopes the Environment Agency will contribute to a £3.9m flood protection system for the entire length of the walk.

Kelham Hall already has £1.1m from developers whose schemes for the riverside were approved.

The only remaining stumbling block would be the Texaco garage on Northgate, as land near Cow Lane used for offices and a carpark is already owned by the council.

In 2005, the Advertiser sought material about the council’s negotiations with Bradford Moor under the Freedom Of Information Act.

The information released shows that lawyers for Bradford Moor stopped replying to letters from the council about a possible purchase in 2004.

The idea to use a compulsory purchase order emerges in documents as far back as 1998, when the redevelopment of the site was scheduled for 2000.

But negotiations made little headway.