Canal plan will bring new walking and cycling routes

NEW walking and cycling routes could be coming to Chesterfield as part of proposals to restore the town’s canal network

The Chesterfield Canal Trust has put forward a planning application to breathe new life into a 1.6-mile stretch of the waterway from Staveley to the edge of Renishaw.

Rod Auton, publicity officer, for Chesterfield Canal Trust, said: “Everyone has worked so hard in getting this application together and we hope that the plans are given the go-ahead.

“This will bring huge benefits to

Chesterfield, Staveley and the surrounding area as it will open up new walkways and cycle routes for people and also be good for the economy in creating jobs.

“We know it will take a few months now with the consultation stage but we have had a lot of support from the public about it and we hope it all goes through. It’s going to be amazing.”

The route is mostly through open countryside and part of it sits on the Staveley Puddlebank, which is an embankment running for nearly half a mile across the Doe Lea river valley. The canal will cross the river on a 37-metre aqueduct and, when it is finished, the canal towpath will provide a walking and cycling route which will link up with the TransPennine Trail, the Arkwright Trail and the Norbriggs Cutting Trail.

The volunteers from the trust will build another lock at Staveley to complement Staveley Town Lock. Altogether the trust has spent more than £200,000 on its work on this site.

A statement from the trust reads: “The trust was planning to start restoration work at Renishaw on a further kilometre of canal, working with volunteers. However, the Covid-19 situation stopped it.

“The hope is that this work can start in the autumn.”

In 1989, twenty miles of the Chesterfield canal lay derelict between Worksop and Chesterfield.

Since then, 12 miles and 34 locks have been restored. Three new locks and 11 bridges have been built plus two marinas.

More than eight miles remain to be completed and this planning application covers 20% of that distance.