Old Darley Abbey Mills Bridge

The original Mills Bridge, connecting Darley Village to the Mills complex and beyond, was constructed in the 1930s.

The bridge officially belongs to the Crown Estates, however, because they acquired the title by default they do not have the usual responsibilities that come with ownership.

The original bridge was closed in 2022 due to safety concerns. In response the Council installed Walters Walkway to provide access in the medium term while a permanent solution is developed.

The condition of the original bridge has continued to get worse, and in December 2025, Walters Walkway also had to be closed and cannot be reopened until the original bridge has been removed and the riverbanks have been stabilised.

Urgent action is required to remove the old, unstable Darley Abbey Mills Bridge. We will make a planning application to remove the old bridge deck and columns soon. The removal works must happen during summer months, between July and September, for environmental reasons and, subject to planning, we would like to undertake the works in summer 2026. We are also developing plans to stabilise the riverbanks. Doing this this will allow us to reinstate Walters Walkway to provide access across the river in Darley Abbey again.

To achieve this the Council will need to take ownership of the bridge. The Council’s Cabinet considered an update and the implications for taking ownership on 8 April 2026. Taking ownership will also help in the development of the project to replace the bridge with a new, permanent solution.

• Cabinet Report - Darley Mills Bridge update
• Minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2026

Specialists in conservation and archaeology have been appointed to provide a robust understanding of heritage and archaeological impacts and will observe removal of the bridge. Visit the New Darley Abbey Mills Bridge page for more information.

We continue to undertake survey work and we are working with statutory utility companies to divert services.