PLANS to rebuild a bridge that was swept away in the 2015 Boxing Day floods have moved a step closer.

Compulsory purchase order (CPO) papers have been served on the owner of land around Kay Street bridge, in Summerseat Bury Council leader Rishi Shori has announced.

The bridge was left with no physical barrier on one side due to the damage it sustained in the flooding. It has been closed to road traffic ever since, although it reopened to pedestrians in March 2016.

The council’s intention to reopen it to vehicles with a segregated footway has been frustrated by the long-running negotiations.

And it has now taken the rare step of commencing the CPO process, as well as putting together a planning application for a replacement bridge, to be submitted at the end of the month.

Cllr Shori told the Bury Times: “Obviously it has taken longer than we had hoped, but the reason was to ensure that we had the strongest case possible for a CPO and a planning application

“We are now in a very strong position to proceed with the plan of rebuilding the bridge."

Public objections could lead to a public inquiry but Cllr Shori added :"I couldn’t say at this stage how likely that is, but I would say that it’s highly unusual for councillors to proceed down the CPO route.

“However, we are doing this because the only way we can proceed, having entered into lengthy negotiations with the owner of the land to try to get a compromise. But we appreciate the frustrations of the local residents.”

Responding to criticism over the length of time it has taken to serve the CPO papers, Cllr Shori added: “Obviously as a council we would have wanted to have done this quicker , however we had to take these steps, we’re legally obliged to negotiate with the land owner.”

And he added that comprehensive environmental, ecological and structural survey had been carried out and “a lot of detailed work” had gone into the planning application.

“Yes, it’s taken a long time, but we have got all the steps in place now to proceed as quickly as possible”, he said.

Conservative group leader, Cllr James Daly said he welcomed the CPO, but was critical of how long the process had taken.

He said: “They’ve been negotiating with this man for the best part of two years, it’s amazing now they are suggesting this is a triumph.

“Obviously I welcome that step, but it’s astounding it’s taken them this long when many councillors have been asking them to do this for the best part of two years, when they knew it was highly unlikely to come to anything.

“It was quite obvious to anybody involved that there was very little chance he would agree to the council’s request."