| UK. Droitwich canals to receive £4.6 million for restoration |
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| Wednesday, 13 October 2004 | |
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Press release: A plan to restore two of Worcestershire’s long-lost canals took a massive leap forward this week. The Droitwich Barge and Junction Canals are to receive £4.6million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which announced its final approval on Monday. Restoration will create a unique 21-mile cruising ring, linking the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in the East to the navigable River Severn in the West. It is expected that restoration will generate an extra £2.75million per year within the local economy and play a key role in the regeneration of Droitwich Spa town centre when a two acre canalside site and marina is developed. An increase of 15% on property values by the canal have also been predicted. The total cost of the project is forecast to be £11.2 million with Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire County Council contributing £2 million. A further £3 million has been requested from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) who have already given a preliminary thumbs-up and will announce their final decision in December. The restoration is expected to improve habitats for important species, such as otters, birds, water voles and amphibians. Over 40 structures of heritage along the canals are planned to be sensitively restored and conserved. British Waterways are backing the project, along with the Waterways Trust, the Droitwich Canals Trust, Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire County Council. Robin Evans, British Waterways’ chief executive commented: “This is brilliant news for everyone – volunteers, local communities and businesses - who have all worked hard to make the restoration of the Droitwich Canals a reality. We now need to secure the remaining match funding for the programme so that these waterways can reach their full leisure, wildlife, heritage and economic potential, boosting the local economy and regenerating the surrounding areas. “We expect the new cruising ring to attract some 330,000 new visits to the canals and Droitwich Spa within five years, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Worcestershire and helping to place Droitwich at the forefront of the region’s growing tourism industry.” |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 October 2004 ) |
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