Enniskillen residents have called on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to request that the Department for Infrastructure and its Minister John O’Dowd review the design of the proposed bridge for the A4 Southern Bypass.

The letter sent to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is signed by Frank Britton, Richard Pierce, Dr Aideen McGinley,  Joanna McVey, Ernie Fisher and Tom Brewster.

They believe that the new bridge should be “visually significant” and “add value to its location at the entrance to beautiful Enniskillen”.

They claim tht a video showing the proposed finished route of the bypass shows a bridge that is a “standard off-the-shelf structure that meets the needs of traffic crossing at that point as part of the bypass infrastructure” and is not visually significant.

The grouping say that the bridge design “fails to take into account, a number of factors including the recognition that it is at the entrance to Enniskillen town, the importance of the location over the Erne Waterways, that it will be fully visible from the Ardhowen Theatre and adjacent to the National Trust Castle Coole Estate.

The group of individuals who signed the letter stated: “The design should complement the Ardhowen, the Waterway and the Weirs Bridge heritage in whose landscape it will be placed. Anything less will be an effective downgrading of an outstanding and scenic topography.”

In their correspondents, the group noted examples of other bridges which complemented and added value to their locations.

“The distinctive new Narrow Water Bridge linking Warrenpoint and Omeath, the elegant Samuel Beckett Bridge over the Liffey, the unique Peace Bridge over the Foyle, and the remarkable Boyne Valley Bridge.

“These are visually stunning, true icons and design markers of what public infrastructure can aspire to and deliver. They bring a sense of hope, togetherness and well-being to their local communities and beyond”

The letter was discussed at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s full council meeting on July 1.

Councillor Tommy Maguire, Sinn Féin says he has been spoken to on the issue and acknowledged the completion of the bridge was due in 2018.

“Has the architectural design etc already been determined?

"Are we aware of that or what levers would be available for anybody from the local area to have an input to the design and the final conclusions of the bridge?"

Commenting on the arrival of the letter despite plans being well ahead for the new bypass, Councillor Adam Gannon, SDLP said: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get which is part of the reason for this letter.

“I would propose we forward this on to the minister and we can see what the response is.

“We might as well ask the question on behalf of the residents.”

Also supporting the content of the letter was DUP Councillor, Keith Elliot who said: “This isn’t a case of trying to delay anything but a case of trying to enhance what is already there."

Ulster Unionist Councillor Robert Irvine said: “I think what the residents are saying is very valid, it is a main entry point into the island town of Enniskillen and if it just going to be a flat plank across with supports either side it is going to look fairly utilitarian.

"I agree that if the design is advanced at such a stage that its part of the tender package it may be too late, but as some of the councillors said, ‘if you don’t ask, so I would ask that we note the letter and support the opinions expressed in it and we would pass that on as a council.”

Concurring with the points raised was Councillor Eddie Roofe of the Alliance Party who said: “There is no harm in us supporting it, we have some wonderful artists who have done murals across Enniskillen so hopefully some of them have some sea legs and we will paint it if we need to.”

The Council supported the resident's call and agreed to forward the letter to The Department of Infrastructure.