Asbestos in bridges to shut town shopping street

A pedestrianised town centre street will be shut for a month while two footbridges containing asbestos are removed.

Mansfield District Council said the "essential" works will mean Stockwell Gate will be closed from Monday until 27 February.

Inspections ahead of the work which is part of a wider £30m regeneration project in the town centre had discovered asbestos, said the council.

A full closure is needed to allow a "full controlled environment" for the works to the "ageing" bridges, it said.

The closure will be in place between Quaker Way and the Four Seasons Shopping Centre entrance.

Customer access will be maintained to businesses in the area.

Council chief executive James Biddlestone said disruption would be kept "to a minimum" but said: "Safety must be our overriding priority."

"We fully appreciate the impact this may have on local businesses and the public, compounded unfortunately by the challenges we face with the collapse of one of the levels at Walkden Street car park but we want to reassure everyone that all businesses will remain open and accessible," he added.

The bridge removals are part of ongoing work in the Stockwell Gate area and the creation of the Mansfield Connect building in the former Beales department store.

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