We understand residents’ concerns about the condition of the footbridge at the end of Tomlinson Way and agree that it appears to be in a poor state of repair.
The difficulty is that it is currently unclear who owns the bridge.
Lincolnshire County Council has confirmed that the path is not a recorded public right of way, so it is not maintained by them.
North Kesteven District Council has also confirmed that they do not own the bridge and have no records showing it was ever transferred to them by the original developer.
The land the bridge sits on is currently going through first registration with HM Land Registry, but ownership details are not yet available. Until this process is complete, no public authority can legally carry out repairs, as they must have the landowner’s permission or responsibility first.
The Parish Council is continuing to monitor the situation and will seek further advice once ownership has been confirmed. In the meantime, residents are advised to avoid or take care when using the bridge, as it is not currently maintained by a public body.