LICHFIELD and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has been awarded £200,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy funding from Lichfield District Council to support the delivery of phase two of the Gallows Reach canal restoration project – a transformative step in restoring the Lichfield Canal.
The levy is charged on new developments and funds infrastructure improvements in the district, and the council then allocates the funds to projects providing lasting benefits.
This funding will enable trust volunteers to link the section from Gallows Wharf to the footpath between Tamworth Road and Longbridge Road, paying for essential materials for the 225-metre stretch of canal, including sheet piling for the sides and a watertight lining for the canal bed.
The work will create a traffic-free pedestrian route linking the new housing developments at Cricket Lane and St John’s Grange, while also establishing new habitats for wildlife and enhancing biodiversity.
Lichfield District Council cabinet member Coun Alex Farrell added: “I was excited to visit the Gallows Reach section of the canal project and see how much the trust volunteers have achieved so far. The Community Infrastructure Levy funding will help them continue with the delivery of this fantastic restoration project.”
The trust continues to make good progress at Gallows Reach. The first phase at Tamworth Road Narrows is nearing completion, enabling works for the second phase are now complete, and major milestones are underway, including the installation of a lift bridge and work due to start on the Cricket Lane culvert.
