Landmark £5 million plans to extend Whitchurch’s canal towards the town centre are set to be rubber stamped by the trust’s committee after enthusiasts chose their blueprint for future development.
The ‘big step forward’ was made at the Whitchurch Waterway Trust AGM held on Wednesday, March 17, at the town’s civic centre after a vote by members and non-members.
A presentation on all five options was made to the group before 30 people voted for their preference and came out in favour of a proposal to extend the canal through Chemistry and Meadowcroft Bridge and create a new basin with moorings.
The basin could cost up to £600,000 alone. It would also allow for further extension towards the town centre in the future by using a lock or inclined plane, which will take boat users to within half a mile of the town’s hub.
Now the 11 committee members for Whitchurch Waterway Trust are expected to seal the decision at a meeting on Tuesday, March 30, at Dodington Lodge Hotel.
They hope to gain funding through a variety of grants. The next step is to raise £50,000 needed for final detailed studies before a formal planning application can be submitted.
Included in the studies would be soil samples, more detailed hydrology assessments and a comprehensive set of drawings of the proposed extension.
Lindsay Green, secretary for the trust, said: “The decision made at the AGM was a positive step forward.
“It is now likely to be rubber-stamped at the committee meeting which will hopefully get the ball rolling.”
Denis Farmer, branch treasurer for the Inland Waterways Association, said: “It would certainly be a big step forward for both the trust and the town if these plans were to be accepted and then put into action.”
By David Seadon