Restoration 2006

Chesterfield. Plans for a £100m mixed development on the site of the former Lavers timberyard and other land between the A61 and the River Rother have proceeded to the stage where a design competition is now taking place to select the eventual architects. This will be a mixed development which will be designed around waterspace which will later form the terminus for the restored Chesterfield Canal. Expect work to start in 2007

Staveley. Our own volunteer restoration working party has continued at Mill Green Staveley throughout the year, latterly in repairing the stone walling between Mill Green and Constitution Hill. It was hoped that work would start by contractors on the agreed and funded extension to Eckington Road, including a new bridge for Hall Lane, but various difficulties related to other sections of this scheme have prevented a start. Expect work to start in 2007

Staveley. A grant of £20,000 from the East Midlands Development Agency will fund a study to design the proposed wharf and associated buildings at Staveley. This should be completed during 2007

Staveley to Renishaw (see News section) A possible opencast mining scheme, if approved, will do approximately £1m of canal restoration work across the Doe Lea valley, giving us a replacement Staveley Puddle Bank. The original has subsided by over 4m in places. The aqueduct over the Doe Lea river will need funding separately. We await the formal submission of the planning application, which is expected early in 2007.

Renishaw. Planning permission has been given for the restoration of an isolated section between Miners’ Crossing and Spinkhill Lane, the design work has been completed, and a funding package almost is almost complete. Work is expected to start in 2007. A week’s camp by the Waterway Recovery Group at the end of December removed the trees growing in the canal bed between Spinkhill Lane and the new housing development.

Killamarsh. The new Greenway through the village along the course of the Chesterfield Canal towpath as far as Bridge Street has been funded. This will provide an accessible walkway for local use and bring people along the canal’s course. A Waterway Recovery Group week’s camp is planned for summer 2007 in Killamarsh.

Norwood. The Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward has provided a grant of £83.5k to fund a study from Kiveton Park to Killamarsh. This will provide design and costing for the former Norwood Tunnel and linkages to the restored canal in Killamarsh. The study is being managed by British Waterways and will be completed during 2007.