Great Yarmouth’s multi-million-pound Third River Crossing will open in May 2023, a council document has suggested.

Work on the £121m bridge over the River Yare started in January 2021.

The bridge had already been expected to open in early 2023, but a document recently published by Great Yarmouth Borough Council says they hope to open the structure in May. 

The document is a draft copy of a consultation on the borough’s local plan, which asks residents how the borough should develop over the coming 20 years. 

It names the bridge as one of the borough’s major infrastructure projects, which it says will ease journey times as well as help support regeneration and economic growth opportunities in the area.

Once complete, it will link the A47 at Harfrey’s Roundabout on the western side with South Denes Road in the east.

In September 2020, then-transport secretary Grant Shapps granted the project a ‘development consent order’, before approving a business case for the scheme - enabling work to begin in January 2021. 

Eastern Daily Press: Grant Shapps, then-transport secretary, signed off on the project in late 2020Grant Shapps, then-transport secretary, signed off on the project in late 2020 (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

The project is being overseen by Norfolk County Council (NCC), which had to obtain 13 pieces of land that belonged to GYBC in order for the project to go ahead.

Some four acres of land had been permanently acquired by NCC and some taken temporarily, to be returned after construction is completed.

The amount of compensation being paid by NCC to GYBC for the loss of the land is not being made public, with County Hall officers arguing that the information is commercially sensitive and "might prejudice the council’s ability to complete negotiations if released".

Eastern Daily Press: Work on the Third River Crossing has been ongoing for almost two yearsWork on the Third River Crossing has been ongoing for almost two years (Image: Norfolk County Council)

It is not yet known what the bridge will be called - with ‘Third River Crossing’ only being its working name. 

A competition was opened earlier this year by NCC, calling for name suggestions to come forwards.

Suggestions have included the Elizabeth Bridge, Nelson Bridge and the New Harbour Bridge.

The competition closed on October 2021, with the name set to be chosen by the judging panel of council representatives and community leaders.

The winning name will be revealed in the new year.