CROOME Park's reinstated Chinese bridge, one of the few features retained by landscape legend Capability Brown during his redesign of the parkland in the 1750s, has been entered for a major civil engineering award.

The bridge has been entered by the park's owners the National Trust with partners WM Long Reach, the Morton Partnership and Green Oak Carpentry Company for the heritage category of the the Institution of Civil Engineers West Midlands Regional Project Awards, which take place at the ICC in Birmingham on May 26. It will also compete with 19 other entries for the ICE West Midlands Awards 2016 Overall Winner title.

One of the major events of the regional built environment calendar, the Project Awards 2016 recognise outstanding examples of West Midlands’ design and construction completed in 2015.

Damian McGettrick, director of Shropshire based specialist long reach plant company, WM Long Reach, said: “Almost 20 years since the National Trust acquired the historic landscape park at Croome, near Upton upon Severn, their vision to restore the heritage painstakingly to its former glory, as Capability Brown’s first commission, is almost complete.

"The reinstatement of the Chinese Bridge, dating back to 1751, forms a fundamental element at the end of this long restoration project. The bridge is one of the few features that Brown retained in the park. It is most fitting that in Brown’s 300th anniversary year the Chinese Bridge features once again in the landscape. This civil engineering project involved the design and construction of this recreated timber bridge across Brown’s ‘Croome River’, modelled on the nearby River Severn."

Damian McGettrick, Director of Shropshire based specialist long reach plant company, WM Long Reach said:

“Almost 20 years since the National Trust acquired the historic landscape park at Croome, their vision to restore the heritage painstakingly to its former glory, as Capability Brown’s first commission, is almost complete.

The reinstatement of Chinese Bridge, dating back to 1751, forms a fundamental element at the end of this long restoration project. The bridge is one of the few features that Brown retained in the Park. It is most fitting that in Brown’s 300th anniversary year the Chinese Bridge features once again in the landscape.

This civil engineering project involved the design and construction of this recreated timber bridge across Brown’s ‘Croome River’, modelled on the nearby River Severn. The team ethic was one of cooperation, awareness and sensitivity to the heritage significance of the site, incorporating innovation during construction.”

A judging panel of six chartered civil engineers will reviewed all twenty projects and make its decision. Professor Alice Roberts will announce the winners and present the trophies to the overall winner and category winners.