A homeowner in the Welsh Valleys has been ordered to dismantle a wooden bridge he constructed to navigate his steep garden, following a planning dispute where the structure was deemed "unneighbourly" and detrimental to the area's character.
Ben Davies, 25, built the timber bridge, which spans 2.7 meters above a private lane between neighboring properties, as a practical solution to his home's incline. The structure was intended to replace an old stone staircase that previously connected his terraced garden to the street above. Davies argued that the bridge was a proportionate response to the site's constraints.
However, Torfaen council initially denied planning permission in November 2025, citing concerns that the bridge would negatively impact neighboring residents. An independent planning inspector, Nicola Gulley, reviewed the case and agreed with the council's assessment. Gulley concluded that the bridge would "have a harmful effect on the character and appearance" of the property and the living conditions of nearby residents.
Villagers reportedly nicknamed the bridge "more like the bridge of size than the bridge of sighs." One local described it as "dam ugly" and questioned the inconsiderate nature of its construction, while another remarked that it would "put the Great Wall of China to shame."
The original Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, a historical limestone structure built in 1600, connects the Doge's Palace to the New Prison. Its name is derived from the legend of prisoners sighing as they caught a final glimpse of Venice before their incarceration.