The Vision

The Costwold Canals Partnership's aim is to restore the Cotswold Canals to full navigation in the interests of conservation, biodiversity and local quality of life, and to use the restoration as a catalyst for wider social, economic and environmental regeneration in areas neighbouring the canals.

The Cotswold Canals restoration will enhance appreciation of the contribution that South West England made to the Industrial Revolution, expand the audience for the wider historic and natural landscape of the Cotswolds, and foster a sense of local pride in the heritage that is the bequest of the people of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Phase 1 of this ambitious project involves full restoration of the 10km navigation between Brimscombe Port, once the commercial and operational heart of the waterway, and the Ocean in Stonehouse, a tranquil rural idyll.

In spite of years of neglect, most of the channel, locks and bridges of this stretch survive, thanks largely to the efforts of the Cotswold Canals Trust. But substantial investment is needed to restore the function of this section and to halt decay and loss. Furthermore, despite the 'leafy' image of the Cotswolds, this part of the canals passes through areas of real sub-ward level deprivation. Restoration - as part of a wider programme of regeneration - will bring real long term and positive change to the market town of Stroud.

Phase 1 also includes acquisition of the lost line of canal between Stonehouse and Saul, where the Stroudwater Navigation links to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. In the short-term this will allow the full extent of the Stroudwater to be opened as a walking and cycling trail. It should also catalyse eventual restoration of the navigation through to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

Cotswold Canals Partnership Project Atlas

The Project Atlas is the document that introduces Phase 1a (Stonehouse to Brimscombe) of this ambitious scheme. It is a working document, and the plans it describes are not set in stone - They are simply a starting point for wider consultation. All of the policies and practices listed here, including the Conservation Management Plan, relate to the wider project but the specific plans for Phase 1b (Stonehouse to Saul Junction) are outlined in the 1b Project Summary - please scroll to the bottom of this page to download your copy.

Introduction

PDF Page 1 (348Kb PDF) - Front Cover

PDF Pages 2 to 3 (669Kb PDF) - Contents and Location Plan

PDF Pages 4 to 5 (1Mb PDF) - Introduction to Project and Partnership

PDF Pages 6 to 7 (1Mb PDF) - Conservation Approach

PDF Pages 8 to 9 (1.1Mb PDF) - Conservation Approach

PDF Pages 10 to 11 (998Kb PDF) - Regeneration Needs

PDF Pages 12 to 13 (1Mb PDF) - Canals for Learning

PDF Pages 14 to 15 (1.2Mb PDF) - Canals in Use

PDF Pages 16 to 17 (1Mb PDF) - Outputs and Funding

PDF Pages 18 to 19 (470Kb PDF) - Land Ownership

Overview of Design

PDF Pages 20 to 21 (1.2Mb PDF) - Banks Boundaries and Towpaths

PDF Pages 22 to 23 (1Mb PDF) - Channels

PDF Pages 24 to 25 (998Kb PDF) - Water

PDF Pages 26 to 27 (1Mb PDF) - Locks

PDF Pages 28 to 29 (1Mb PDF) - Swing Bridges

PDF Pages 30 to 31 (1.2Mb PDF) - Fixed Bridges

Outline Plans

PDF Pages 32 to 33 (378Kb PDF) - Key to Length Maps

PDF Pages 34 to 35 (1Mb PDF) - Saul to Occupation Bridge

PDF Pages 36 to 37 (1Mb PDF) - Occupation Bridge to Westfield Lock

PDF Pages 38 to 39 (1.2Mb PDF) - Westfield Lock to Blunder Lock

PDF Pages 40 to 41 (864Kb PDF) - Blunder Lock to Ocean Railway Bridge

PDF Pages 42 to 43 (885Kb) - Ocean to Nutshell Bridge

PDF Pages 44 to 45 (663 Kb PDF) - Ocean Swing Bridge

PDF Pages 46 to 47 (878Kb PDF) - Nutshell to Uppermills

PDF Pages 48 to 49 (1Mb PDF) - Upper MIlls to Ryeford

PDF Pages 50 to 52 (1Mb PDF) - Ryeford to Ryeford Locks

PDF Pages 52 to 53 (858Kb PDF) - Ryeford Double Lock

PDF Pages 54 to 55 (869Kb PDF) - Ryeford Locks to Oilmills

PDF Pages 56 to 57 (793Kb PDF) - Oilmills Bridge

PDF Pages 58 to 59 (1Mb PDF) - Oilmills to Ebley

PDF Pages 60 to 61 (1.1Mb PDF) - Ebley to Cainscross

PDF Pages 62 to 63 (914Kb PDF) - Dudbridge Locks and the Lawns

PDF Pages 64 to 65 (1.1Mb PDF) - Cainscross to Lodgemore

PDF Pages 66 to 67 (970Kb PDF) - Lodgemore to Wallbridge

PDF Pages 68 to 69 (1Mb PDF) - New A46 Merrywalks Bridge

PDF Pages 70 to 71 (1Mb PDF) - Wallbridge to Capel Mill

PDF Pages 72 to 73 (1.1Mb PDF) - Capel Mill

PDF Pages 74 to 75 (876Kb PDF) - Capel MIll to Bowbridge

PDF Pages 76 to 77 (783Kb PDF) - Bowbridge

PDF Pages 78 to 79 (983Kb PDF) - Bowbridge to Stantons Bridge

PDF Pages 80 to 81 (920Kb PDF) - Stantons Bridge to Jubilee Bridge

PDF Pages 82 to 83 (900Kb PDF) - Jubilee Bridge to Bagpath Bridge

PDF Pages 84 to 85 (1Mb PDF) - Bagpath to Canal Ironworks

PDF Pages 86 to 87 (1Mb PDF) - Canal Ironworks to Brimscombe

PDF Pages 88 to 89 (800Kb PDF) - Brimscombe Hill Road Bridge

PDF Pages 90 to 91 (1Mb PDF) - Brimscombe Port Today

PDF Pages 92 to 93 (909Kb PDF) - Brimscombe Port as it was

PDF Pages 94 to 95 (1.1Mb PDF) - Brimscombe Port - Future Plans

You may need to install Acrobat Reader to view these files. Follow link below to download the most up to date version:

Acrobat Reader - Website

Conservation Management Plan

A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) has been developed to guide decisions concerning the
restoration, future management and continuing maintenance of the
canals, and in so doing to reconcile potentially competing values and
interests.

The CMP addresses most aspects of managing the large, complex and
vulnerable heritage asset of the Cotswold Canals, including built
heritage, archaeology, ecology and biodiversity, engineering,
community, recreation and amenity. For further details and a downloadable version of the CMP, please go to this page's subsection, 'Conservation Planning':

The Cotswold Canals Conservation Management Plan - Conservation Management Plan

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