Cabbage Creek Footbridge
Project Overview
Project: Footbridge replacement in ANOB
Client: The National Trust
Contract value: £250k
The National Trust needed to replace a failed timber bridge at Cabbage Creek, Stiffkey with a safe, sustainable and lower maintenance structure, which delivered a 30-year lifespan while remaining visually sympathetic to its unique coastal setting.
Set within Stiffkey saltmarsh, one of the richest saltmarshes for wildlife in Europe and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the project demanded an approach far beyond the simplicity of a typical footbridge.
Not only did the design and management of the project require permissions from the local Planning Authority, Crown Estates, Natural England, and the Marine Management Organisation. It also had to satisfy and accommodate multiple site protections and special statuses, including SSSI and RAMSAR. All construction had to be completed within a tight 10‑week autumn window to avoid disturbing over‑wintering/migrating birds, and works were further constrained by tides and unpredictable weather.
We were appointed as Quantity Surveyors, Contract Administrators and to provide CDM services on the project, working with structural engineers, Conisbee and contractor, NCL.
The footbridge was procured through a two-stage process to ensure best value. An open-book approach was used to cost the project; while price was relevant, design quality, a robust approach to health & safety and ability to deliver the scheme within a 10-week-timescale, was paramount.
Working together the team achieved an appropriate piling solution, which minimised on-site activity, avoiding unnecessary disturbance and contamination, all delivered within the permitted programme window whilst working with the tides in this sensitive environment.
A rigorous H&S strategy underpinned the project. Widely publicised walks relied on the footbridge and rapid replacement was critical for public safety. Robust site control was implemented; site facilities and materials stored in a secure compound within a public car park. Banksmen were used when moving plant and large bridge components. A temporary bridge aided logistics and provided a safe working platform.
Sustainability was embedded from the outset, shaping decisions from procurement through to construction and ensuring the project balanced environmental protection, carbon reduction, long-term resilience and community value.
Embodied carbon calculations guided material selection for the new footbridge, leading to a robust combination of painted galvanised steel with recycled plastic for the decking and handrails. This delivered the appearance of timber but with vastly superior durability. The extended 20m span, with graded ramps for improved access, was engineered to accommodate the creek’s historic and anticipated migration, removing the need for future realignment works and associated environmental disturbance. Offsite modular fabrication of the steel superstructure, decking and handrails reduced on-site disturbance and facilitated efficient installation.
The project’s low-profile contemporary design, blends discreetly into the surrounding tidal saltmarsh. Elegant engineering solutions have delivered a structure with a 30-year lifespan, which will accommodate ongoing environmental change and sudden natural events – landslip and flooding.
The project was delivered on time, and on budget within the tightly prescribed programme window. We were delighted that handover to the client was celebrated with a hike and celebratory meal.
Cabbage Creek Footbridge, Stiffkey Saltmarsh, Norfolk