A KEY parcel of land on the route of the Lichfield Canal has been transferred to a trust working to rebuild the waterway.
Staffordshire County Council has agreed to hand over the 670m stretch on Falkland Road to the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT).
The land will help create a new culvert under Claypit Lane and three locks. It will also link to a canal culvert underneath the Birmingham Road island which the county council built during the construction of the Lichfield Southern Bypass.
Derek Lord, LHCRT’s planning and technical trustee, said:
“When the developments took place in this area, the county council took possession of land for the bypass, but they also allowed sufficient room for the canal.
“This is a really good example of the support that the county council has given to the trust over the years and shows good forward thinking.
“Each piece of land that we’re able to take ownership of means that we can progress the canal further and gives us the ability to get planning consent.
“Our aim is to bring the canal into and through Lichfield as quickly as we can, but that’s dependent on getting the land and the necessary funding.
“We’re currently working very hard to join up the sections at Deanslade, St John’s Grange and up to Cricket Lane.
“The canal will provide a blue-green link through all of these areas, so it’s a really important infrastructure facility for the people of Lichfield.”
Cllr Colin Greatorex, county councillor for Lichfield City South, said:
“It’s wonderful to be involved as a county councillor for this area. I’ve seen the development of the canal over a number of years and more stages being developed. It’s good to see it happening inch by inch and mile by mile.
“I’ve been involved for the city council, the district council and the county council, and all along the way there have been partnerships struck up and a lot of foresight on behalf of LHCRT and the three councils to all recognise what needs to happen.
“The land that’s been handed over means a lot as it will become more recognisable as part of the future canal.”
The next stage for the development of the Falkland Road section is to apply for planning permission so construction of the canal can start.
The trust aims to start work in 2025-26 following completion of the Gallows Reach section between Cricket Lane and London Road.
