THE NSW government has been accused of "sneaking" through a controversial announcement about the demolition of a historic bridge. Planning Minister Brad Hazzard approved the demolition and replacement of the 139-year-old Windsor Bridge on Friday, saying it was "in the public interest and will result in immediate and long term benefits for the region." The bridge is the oldest existing crossing of the Hawkesbury River and is adjacent to the historic Thompson Square in the township in Sydney's northwest. The group Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) said the project would destroy the oldest town square in Australia. "Trying to sneak this announcement through at this time of year just shows how completely out of touch the Minister is," CAWB Chairman Dail Miller said. Labor MP Barbara Perry said: "Let's call this for what it is - the O'Farrell Government has decided to butcher one of this nation's prime heritage icons under the cover of Christmas." The announcement comes just weeks after Greens MP David Shoebridge said documents showed that the planning department, which opposed the bridge in early July, did a "U-turn" a month later. He said that the only difference between July and August was that Premier Barry O'Farrell's acting chief of staff, Jaymes Boland-Rudder, had spoken to his counterparts at the roads and planning ministries to ensure they were "fully aware of the importance of delivering the road." But Mr Hazzard said on Friday that the existing bridge was in a poor structural condition, had dangerously narrow lanes for cars and trucks and a one-metre wide pedestrian path which was too narrow to be safely used by cyclists.