Even Better News
The Outline Planning Permission application (OPP) has now been registered and we invite you to register your support with your local council or, indeed, with all three.
To do this, go to the council website/s of your choice and find their planning page, enter their reference and make a comment.
The three references are:-
Derby City 03/07/00495
South Derbys 09/2009/0054
Erewash Borough ERE/0410/0042
Thanks for your support.
Outline Planning Permission Application
Great News! Following our application for Outline Planning Permission we arranged Public Consultation Meetings along the route of the canal at Sandiacre, Breaston, Draycott Borrowash/Spondon, Wilmorton/Alvaston, Allenton and Shelton Lock, most of which were well attended with a lively question time after the presentation.
Although there were some concerns such as construction traffic and public safety during and after construction, there was not one dissention.
The Application will shortly be uploaded onto the websites of Derby City Council, Erewash Borough Council and South Derbyshire District Council for consultation so please have a look and make a comment, preferably favourable!
This is the most important step so far in the process and is a critical precursor to moving to restore the canal on a step by step process. We therefore need you to help to support the application.
Please read the notes on the Outline Planning Permission page and send your comments in support to the relevant Local Authority/s.
The Linear Park - transitional thinking
A 12 mile linear green corridor awaiting development
A former heritage canal, Derby and Sandiacre, connects the Erewash and Trent and Mersey canals, and offers a fantastic green corridor for enhancement and full reinstatement.
The corridor is enjoyed by a host of users, with an exciting opportunity to link the Derby riverside to navigable waterways. Since the beginning of 2008, the Trust Development Group, supported by a Derbyshire City Partnership grant, have been actively involved in securing outline planning permission for the horizontal alignment of the entire canal corridor, whilst endeavouring to open various stretches of the waterway.
We are encouraged by the progress of our application, finalising modifications to the environmental impact and flood risk assessments, aspects requested by the three authorities at the beginning of the year, to ensure the planning application can be registered and undergo the full sixteen week consultation process, and hopefully lead to a planning decision by March/April, 2010. To obtain planning approval from three authorities, remains a challenging and complex undertaking, taking us all through a roller coaster of highs and lows, but disregarding the various setbacks we are confident with the support of all the participating bodies that the outline planning application for reinstating the canal corridor will be registered by November, 2009, and be considered for planning approval by the end of the year
Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust, July 2009.
To view the route go to Stakeholder Pages and open green map 'canal ring'.
Preliminary Stages of Construction
The Derby Riverside to Erewash Towpath Heritage Trail

A seven and half mile linear park, providing a cycleway and footway on the towpath, linking the Erewash canal junction at Sandiacre to the river Derwent crossing and onto the City riverside. The creation of a green multi user trail for Erewash and the City will improve lifestyles of an under-utilised green canal garden. The proposed towpath heritage trail will connect the silk mills of Derby riverside with the the original lock keeper's cottage on the Erewash Canal. The Trust have estimated that for a capital cost of circa £700k to £1.1 million, subject to pavement specification, a sustainable pavement with landscaping can be built over a twenty week period, thereby establishing the route. The corridor provides an amenity for cyclists, walkers, joggers, naturalists and pedestrian to enjoy a unique and dedicated green way in and out of the City.
The Trust and Society have established partnerships and collaborative interest from a host of key intermediaries such as the Spondon Community Association, Derby Cityscape, Cycle Derby, Derby City Partnership and Erewash Partnership, all of whom will benefit considerably from this towpath heritage trail.
Our current project steering group comprises of - BWB, Gleeds, Sutrans, Centre of Pavement Excellence, Tarmac and Dew Construction, all dedicating significant resources and financial contributions to ensuring that the best possible design and value can be derived, thereby attracting funding.
16th December, 2009 - News has broken that the '6Cs' fund for the East Midlands has accepted our application as an 'expression of interest' - Gleeds will be dealing with this on a pro bono basis.
Other Stages of Construction
Leading to Navigational Waterway
The Trust's mission is to restore the canal to full navigation. This is best achieved by sectional canal side developments on the Spondon mile or canal junctions at the Trent and Mersey and Erewash canals. Unfortunately the current economic down turn has restricted investment on such capital intensive builds, therefore we have been forced to put on hold our Spondon and Draycott developments until at least mid 2010. The beautification & enhancement of the existing canal corridor, cultivation of the canal gardens existing flora, fauna, trees and wildlife, along with the placement of a new towpath, remains a real prospect with least cost or risk. Consequently, the Trust's project development group seek help from Erewash and City authorities to fund this first stage of construction.
