PRESS _ 11-19-jbCW

 

City of Launceston councillor Joe Pentridge moved his controversial steel bridge away from the North Esk river after an eleventh hour appeal to the State Government failed. 

On Tuesday the 68 metre bridge did not span the river but was close by ready for transportation. 

 The removal came after Mr Pentridge made an agreement with the City of Launceston council under the auspices of the Tasmanian Administrative and Civil Tribunal agreeing to take the bridge down by April 30. 

Under the TASCAT agreement the council would not proceed with charges laid in the Launceston Magistrates Court about construction of the bridge, which was allegedly in contravention of the planning scheme, if the bridge was taken down. 

However, late last month Mr Pentridge sought an 11th hour "common sense solution" from the State Government via Primary Industries Minister Jo Palmer. 

"It is time for the Minister to step in, get some answers and show commonsense by giving permission for the assessment of the bridge to go ahead," he wrote. 

Mr Pentridge sought that development approval for the bridge be granted before he removed it. 

"It is appropriate now for the Minister to call the matter in and review the reasons for not granting routine permission," he said.