A 46-metre-long bridge, weighing 86 tonnes, has been lifted into place at our Forge Island development in Rotherham. The event marks a milestone in construction as it provides a pedestrian link from the town to the new scheme which will offer much needed new waterfront leisure and restaurant amenities.

Over a period of two days, a telescopic-boom mobile crane was erected and the lift took just over one hour.sThe bridge celebrates the town’s heritage as its design by Architects FaulknerBrown is inspired by the Bailey Bridge – a portable, steel-truss bridge, designed and developed by Rotherham-born civil engineer Donald Bailey – and developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World.

The diamond truss steel design that is associated with Bailey Bridges is clad with red/brown perforated steel panelling to coordinate with the colour of the planned Forge Island buildings.

Over the next few weeks, a podium is being built on site, which will elevate the scheme out of the floodplain of the River Don. Work will then begin on construction of the buildings and new landscaped public spaces, including a stepped amphitheatre beside Rotherham Lock.

The £47m Forge Island is expected to open in 2024.