Planning approval has been granted for work to begin on the next stage of the Lichfield Canal.
The new section between Cricket Lane and London Road will be developed by the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT).
The site is a section of the historic, but currently disused Ogley Locks section of the Wyrley and Essington Canal, which was closed in 1954.
When completed, the Lichfield Canal will create a link via the city between the Coventry Canal and the Birmingham Canal Navigations
The latest planning approval includes the construction of a 650 metre channel, a new lock to the west of Cricket Lane, a lift bridge linking Longbridge Road with Tamworth Road, and new pedestrian steps from Gallows Wharf to London Road.
Derek Lord, planning and technical trustee at LHCRT, said:
“This is a huge milestone for us and we can now start the long-awaited work on the canal along Tamworth Road, creating a full length of channel from Borrowcop Locks Canal Park to St John’s Grange.
“The first stage will be to build the canal channel from London Road and install the pedestrian liftbridge to give access from Longbridge Road to Tamworth Road, for which we raised substantial funds through our Big Give appeal. Our volunteers will then continue to build the canal channel towards Cricket Lane and make it water-ready.
“Our aim is to get as much of the canal in water as soon as possible, so we will incorporate stop planks or dams along the route to enable this to happen.
“We will also carry out additional landscaping work with planting, including more trees, to increase biodiversity.”
Derek Lord
The canal already has a completed section at Borrowcop Locks Canal Park and a partly-prepared channel at St John’s Grange with two culverts which were constructed by Amey for Persimmon Homes.
Amey will also install an additional canal culvert beneath Cricket Lane, as part of the new housing development.
Excellent news! I can’t wait to see and use each new section as it is opened.
is the trust going to finish anything they actually start? Tamworth road is a mess at the moment with Falkland road. I like what the charity stands for but can we see something actually finished please
Can it be done soon as all the roads around lichfield are closed haha