Droitwich Canal Restoration Project Hawford, Worcester 23rd August 2009

Video of Droitwich canal at Hawford, Worcester which is currently undergoing major restoration work
Videoed Sunday, 23rd August 2009.

Droitwich Canal Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?p=PLE8587F11E0062842

Another video of the canal filmed on 5th April 2009 can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a27ancwNufQ

"The 7.5 mile (12 km) Droitwich Barge and Junction Canals link the Worcester & Birmingham Canal with the River Severn and are the subject of a major restoration project.

The Barge Canal was built in 1771 and is a broad canal built by Brindley, one of the key engineers of the early canals. There are a total of 8 locks along its 5.75 mile length and it links the River Severn to Vines Park within the town of Droitwich Spa. The Junction Canal was one of the last canals to be completed. It was completed in 1854 to link the Barge Canal at Vines Park to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Hanbury. It was built as a narrow canal, with a total length of 1.75 miles and 7 locks. Both were constructed primarily to transport the towns production of salt. They were officially abandoned in 1939. The project to restore the canals is being led by the Droitwich Canals Partnership which includes Worcestershire County Council, Wychavon District Council, The Droitwich Canals Trust, The Waterways Trust and British Waterways.
The Droitwich Canals Partnership has agreed the following Vision for the Droitwich Canals: To create a linear park centred on the restored Droitwich Canals which will seek to conserve and enhance the natural and built environment and provide a range of informal recreational opportunities for local people and visitors, thereby generating economic benefit and contributing to the well being of the people of Worcestershire. The project will cost in the order of £10 million. Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Stage One approval (£4.5 million) and outline support from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) (£2.8 million) have been pledged along with £1 million each from the 2 local authorities.

The works involve: -
• Restoring the original line of the canal under the A449
• Creating a new link under the M5
• Dredging
• Restoring locks and other heritage structures
• Creating moorings
• Improving access
• Creating new reedbeds adjacent to the canals to mitigate for those lost when the canals are dredged.
• Education, interpretation, arts etc.
Through restoration a linear park will be created centred on the canals. The park will provide a place to relax and visit the countryside with walks, boat trips, picnic sites, play areas and information and interpretation. The restored canals will link the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to the River Severn and create a new 21 mile cruising ring.
New canal related businesses including the hire, servicing and building of boats, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants are expected to locate along the canals and will generate economic benefit and new leisure opportunities for the people of Worcestershire.
The restoration will also conserve and enhance the special environment that has developed along the canals including the creation of new reedbeds adjacent to the
canals and the conservation of much of the reed which lines the canals banks."

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Droitwich
• Canal
• Restoration
• Project
• Hawford
• Worcester
• Worcestershire
• conservation
• barge
• boats
• Birmingham
• countryside
• reedbeds
• reed
• beds
• River
• Salwarpe
• Severn
• locks
• A449
• swans
• ducks
• AWM
• British
• Waterways
• Trust
• District
• Council
• Partnership
• Vines
• Park
• UUK
• CTB
• ctbw
• River Severn

[raybarber]

Brilliant. I was going to take a walk over to Hawford to see how the wroks progressing. You've saved my feet :)