A quintessentially rural canal, the 33 mile long Grantham traverses three shire counties

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August 2006

Grantham Canal Partnership awarded grant for Wildlife study

The Grantham Canal Partnership has been awarded a £20,000 grant towards undertaking a study into the impact that restoration of the Grantham Canal to navigation may have on wildlife habitats.

The grant, made by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, will allow the Partnership, for the first time, to conduct a comprehensive study that assesses not only the options for restoration but also the ecological impacts they may have.

The Grantham Canal has not been navigable for boats since 1937 and has become a rich wetland habitat with a five mile section, between Redmile and Harby, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The study, which will cover almost the entire 33 mile length of the canal from West Bridgford to Grantham, will be conducted in two stages. The first stage, which is planned for this summer, will include investigation of ecological records and surveys of the canal corridor to produce a report on the existing canal and surrounding habitats. Using this information, stage two will assess the impact of restoration options on the ecology of the canal.

Until now, studies into restoring the canal have not examined in detail the potential ecological impacts and as a result it has not been possible to identify an acceptable way forward. It is hoped that the grant will allow a full study to take place allowing proposals that are acceptable to everyone to be produced.

The need for the study has been identified by the Grantham Canal Partnership’s Environmental Sub Group led by English Nature and involving the Wildlife Trusts of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire , the Campaign to Protect Rural England and British Waterways.

Kevin Mann, Grantham Canal Regeneration Manager, said:

“The grant is fantastic news. The study will enable us to achieve a consensus between the need to restore the Grantham Canal whilst protecting the valuable wildlife habitats that make it so popular with local communities.”

The total cost of the study is £35,000 with the remaining funding being provided by Rushcliffe Borough Council, South Kesteven District Council, British Waterways and the Grantham Canal Partnership.