Volunteers working on the Lichfield Canal have reached a significant milestone, completing 85 metres of new canal at Gallows Reach that is now holding water for the first time.
The achievement follows Lichfield District Council's award of £200,000 in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to support Phase 2 of the restoration project. CIL is funding collected from new developments and invested by the council into infrastructure projects across Lichfield District.
The council's £200,000 contribution is supporting essential materials needed to restore a 225-metre section of canal, including sheet piling for the canal sides and a watertight lining for the canal bed. The completed 85-metre section has now been bunded to retain water.
Broader benefits for the area
The Gallows Reach restoration forms part of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust's (LHCRT) long-term ambition to reconnect the Lichfield Canal to Huddlesford Junction. Beyond canal restoration, the project will create a traffic-free pedestrian route linking the new communities at Cricket Lane and St John's Grange.
The work will also create new habitats for wildlife, enhance biodiversity and provide an improved green corridor for residents and visitors.
Council and volunteer backing
Councillor Alex Farrell, Lichfield District Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and the Local Plan, said the project demonstrates how Community Infrastructure Levy funding should work. "This is exactly what Community Infrastructure Levy funding should be about – taking money generated through development and investing it back into infrastructure that benefits our communities," he said.
Derek Lord, LHCRT Planning and Technical Trustee, said: "This funding has been a fantastic boost for the project, and we are extremely grateful to Lichfield District Council for their support. Completing and watering the initial section shows exactly how this investment is delivering real, visible progress, bringing us another step closer to reconnecting the Lichfield Canal to Huddlesford Junction. With this first milestone now reached, we've already begun the next stages of restoration at Gallows Reach."
