Relief as £14m extension granted for canal project

19/03/2025 @ 12:02

A £14 million project to restore the Montgomery Canal has been granted an 11-month extension by the UK Government.

It was due to be finished by the end of this March, but Powys County Council and Glandŵr Cymru (the Canal and River Trust in Wales), who are delivering the scheme in partnership, now have until the end of February 2026 to complete it.

The finished work includes:

Refurbishment of the canalside cottages, next to Y Lanfa, in Welshpool, which are currently being used as a temporary home for the town’s library
Restoration of the Grade II listed Aberbechan Aqueduct, near Newtown, which plays an important role in maintaining water levels and had previously been ‘at risk’ of collapse
Dredging and bank works between Llanymynech and Arddleen which featured on the BBC’s Countryfileprogramme

The work that still needs to be completed:

The extension and improvements to Y Lanfa in Welshpool, which is the permanent home of the town’s library and the Powysland Museum (work started in January.)
A new road bridge over the canal at Carreghofa Lane in Llanymynech. (Construction to begin in April.)
A lifting replacement for Williams Bridge, near Llanymynech
A new biodiversity area with ponds at Wern, near Pool Quay
A new biodiversity area with ponds next to the River Vyrnwy, near Llanymynech
Further dredging and bank works at Llanymynech

The work has been impacted by higher-than-expected construction costs and difficulties in acquiring all the land needed for the original plans.

“We are grateful to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for agreeing to alter the memorandum of understanding, so we have an additional 11 months to complete this project,” said Councillor David Selby, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys. “It’s regrettable that there have been delays, but we are confident that everything can be finished now within the extra time we have been granted.

“Restoring the canal, and creating new wildlife areas alongside it, will bring an economic and ecological boost to the area. It will also help to improve the wellbeing of Powys residents by providing them with more suitable and inspiring places to walk, canoe and cycle.”

Richard Harrison of Glandŵr Cymru said: "The extension being granted to the project provides us with important additional time to undertake the work that forms a major part of the restoration of this section of the canal, which is set to bring an important boost to the local area.

“We are grateful for the extension and are continuing our work to deliver on the project, making good progress on the construction of new bridges, nature areas and dredging that's required to benefit this historic manmade waterway.”

The project was originally funded as part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up programme and the amount received will remain at £13,937,565, despite the time extension.

The council has also received £164,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards the work on Y Lanfa and £140,000 from Welsh Government towards the work on the canalside cottages in Welshpool, as part of its Transforming Towns programme.