The grant of £547,500 to British Waterways will enable the restoration of a further length of the canal in Shropshire and include the creation of a new nature reserve. There will also be some footpath and interpretation improvements on the dry section of the canal, to help link the restored canal with Llanymynech Heritage Area, also recently awarded an HLF grant.

Works are expected to start in June, and will take the restoration as far as Redwith Bridge, close to Llynclys. The overall cost of the works is £1.1 million, and other funding will come from a European Interreg grant, British Waterways, Shropshire Union Canal Society and the Inland Waterways Association.

The project follows on from successful completion of the Conservation Management Strategy for the canal, developed by the Montgomery Canal Partnership, and which will provide a way forward for the restoration. The Strategy now has the support of the local authorities, English Nature, English Heritage and boating organisations, and will be used to support further funding applications for restoration through to Llanymynech and then Welshpool.

British Waterways Wales and Border Counties General Manager, Julie Sharman, welcomed the news, saying:
“This grant is a tribute to the recent hard work of everyone on the Montgomery Canal Partnership. The restoration is intended as a flagship scheme of sustainable development, which we are all confident will be good for wildlife, the local community and a boost to the local economy. We are grateful for the active support of a wide range of community groups, who have also made this grant possible”.

Explaining the importance of the project, HLF’s regional manager Anne Jenkins said,
“We’re extremely proud of the investment we have been able to make to bring our canal system back to life and enable people to celebrate our industrial heritage. These projects provide so many benefits above and beyond the pure restoration, from offering healthy outdoor activities for families to protecting the unique habitats and wildlife that thrive along the canal banks. The work will ensure that our children and our children’s children can learn about the importance of the industrial revolution to our heritage.”

This grant complements an HLF award to Shropshire County Council, for £490,000, towards restoration work, access and education work at Llanymynech. The County Council work was developed in partnership with Oswestry BC, British Waterways and Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

A UNIQUE AND SUSTAINABLE RESTORATION (Extracts from Montgomery Canal Partnership's Public Consultation Paper)

The Montgomery Canal has been the subject of an ongoing campaign to restore navigation since 1969, but plans for restoration have at times caused a conflict with other interests, especially nature conservation. However, there are many reasons for not accepting the current arrangements, with parts of the canal navigable, parts in water but blocked by dropped road bridges, and some sections completely dry.

REASONS FOR RESTORATION

• The Welshpool navigable length is isolated from the rest of the inland waterway network and is not big enough to support viable canal-based businesses in the long-term.
• Without positive management, nature conservation interest would decline, and the built heritage slowly deteriorate.
• The canal is highly valued by the local community but under-used by both local people and visitors.
• Like all our inland waterways, it has great potential to help stimulate regeneration and economic growth, attracting visitors to the area and providing wider benefits for the people who live near by.

There has been overwhelming support for the restoration of the canal, with careful safeguards, and this strategy is intended to map a way forward, and provide practical solutions that will resolve the previous tensions between different interests. This has required a willingness to share and understand the values and interests of others. The Montgomery Canal Partnership have worked hard to develop that understanding, both within the Partnership and in wider circles, and have reached a belief in a shared way forward based on the overarching theme of sustainable restoration. The proposals in this document go wider than many conservation plans, for it incorporates issues of economic and social benefit from the beginning. These are issues that are important to many local residents.

The canal needs a sustainable future - one in which its values are protected, enhanced and above all enjoyed within an economically viable framework. The long-term future of the canal is as a valued, shared resource. Sustainable navigation and boats are an integral part of a living, working canal. The built heritage and natural heritage are intricately entwined, and both rely on the support of the local community for their future.