THE long-awaited new river crossing in Monmouth is due to enter the planning process.

Members of Monmouthshire county council's environment committee agreed to submit an application for a second crossing of the River Monnow.

The proposed crossing - known locally as option two - will join up Goldwire Lane and the car park for Monmouth's weekly cattle market.

The unanimous decision to submit the planning application for option two was taken at a recent environment executive committee meeting at County Hall in Cwmbran, which was attended by interested parties.

Councillors fear that option two could fail because of technical difficulties in building the £1.6 million bridge - but they have a back-up plan.

The safety net is that members decided to submit another planning application for another bridge 80 ft downstream from the current Monnow Bridge - which was built in the 13th century.

Monmouthshire council commissioned consultants Ove Arup to put forward proposals for a new bridge to cross the River Monnow.

After hearing from Ove Arup's proposals, Councillor Val Smith, chairman of Monmouthshire council's environment committee, said: "The council's decision to take forward a bridge proposal at location two to the planning stage has been reached in response to the detailed design review undertaken by our consultants.

"And from the views expressed by the various statutory agencies over the last year.

"There are still some hurdles to get over and these will need further development and negotiations with the bodies concerned.

"We are satisfied, however, that by running a second planning application in tandem at location one, the council will provide the opportunity for all representatives and views to be aired on the two locations, within the proper statutory planning process and that a bridge is built in Monmouth."

When the new crossing is finally opened the old medieval bridge will be pedestrianised. Plans to build a second River Mon-now crossing at Monmouth have been on the drawing board for more than 80 years.

Monmouth councillor Maureen Roach told members: "It was as far back as 1920 that plans were first put forward for a new Monnow bridge and I'm glad that after all this time we have reached the point where the plans can now progress forward.

"The old bridge is part of the town's heritage and a new crossing is vitally important to save it."