Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of building regulations and planning controls to regulate the construction of bridges over main water courses.

Guidance on construction standards for bridges and structures is published by the Highways Agency in its Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. Volume 1, Section 3, Part 6 covers the design of highways bridges across watercourses. This guidance recommends that the appropriate rivers and water authority is consulted at an early stage.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/ha/standards/dmrb/vol1/section3/ba5994.pdf

The planning process would cover the location and spatial dimensions of a proposed bridge development. Building regulations do not cover bridges in this respect, unless it formed part of a building.