£25m canal cash bid fails

7:17am Saturday 17th November 2007

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AN AMBITIOUS scheme to restore parts of a Gwent waterway has floundered at the final stage of a bid for £25 million lottery cash.

But hopes of rejoining parts of the canal in Newport and Cwmbran are not likely to sink without trace.

Three projects were this week announced as the winners of the Big Lottery Living Landmark programme - in Scotland, Ireland and Cornwall.

Among the projects that missed out on sharing the multi-million pound pot was the proposal to re-open sections of the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

It included a 9.5km stretch between Five Locks and Newport as well as a 12.5km section between the city and Cwmcarn. It was also planned to create canal basins in Cwmbran and Crindau in Newport.

A joint bid was made by Torfaen, Newport, and Caerphilly councils with the Monmouthshire Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust which sailed through the first stage last year.

It won £250,000 from the Big Lottery to carry out feasibility studies for the second application.

Chris Morgan, chairman of the Trust, said: "We are disappointed. This was a chance of getting the canal through Cwmbran."

Mr Morgan said the money would have been used to refurbish the water supply through Risca and Cross Keys, create navigable sections in Cwmbran and build new locks in Newport.

Torfaen's council leader, Councillor Bob Wellington said: "The council is extremely disappointed at the failure of the living landmarks lottery bid.

"However, the council's commitment to regenerate the canal remains as strong as ever. We will now be turning our attention to finding an alternative way forward".

The waterway is in a strategic position for tourism, at the gateway to Wales and not far from the M4.

It was hoped the restored canal would attract visitors from away as well as local people investigating their heritage.