Lichfield canal trust makes breakthrough agreement with housing developers.
Lichfield canal restoration volunteers have welcomed ground-breaking work with a regional housebuilder as their project to restore an historic lock sees success. Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has been working closely with Persimmon Homes West Midlands and contractor Amey Transportation Infrastructure on the canal project and the restoration of the original Lock 23.
Persimmon Homes West Midlands is bringing 450 new homes to the city at St
John’s Grange, off London Road, as well as creating a link road to form part of
the Lichfield Southern Bypass.
Construction of the new roadway, between London Road and Birmingham Road,
also includes safeguarding the route of Lichfield Canal. The lock, beside St John’s Wharf, became the centre of a campaign to fully
restore the heritage structure and incorporate it in the overall bypass design.
Trust engineering director Peter Buck said: “The Trust has worked very closely
with Persimmon and Amey over recent weeks on the challenging design to fit
the Lichfield Canal and the new bypass through narrow 'pinch-points' to enable
the Heritage Lock 23 to be incorporated into the overall design.
“By adopting the Trust's innovative solution, progress is now being made on this
section of the Lichfield Canal.
“With agreement on the key design details between all parties, Amey has
mobilised very swiftly to excavate and place binding for the reinforced concrete
retaining wall between the new bypass and the Lichfield Canal channel, thus
retaining Lock 23.
“Persimmon is also diverting the pipework under the new bypass to replace the
‘big pipe’ which was installed through the old Lock 23 when the canal was
abandoned.
“Whilst we are pleased that the required work has commenced and is
progressing well, there are many details to work through with the contractors
over the coming weeks and we look forward to project completion next year.”
Excavation work has also begun for the first of two bridges to be built over
the canal which will link to the new housing development, and culvert sections have been installed.
Dan Hassall, head of technical at Persimmon Homes West Midlands, said: “The
bypass and canal works has been a major collaborative scheme where we have
worked in partnership with Amey, Staffordshire County Council, Lichfield District
Council, Lichfield City Council as well as Lichfield and Heatherton Canals
Restoration Trust.
“The final phase of the bypass forms part of a regional road improvement scheme
to improve the road network and help alleviate congestion within the town.
“The work is highly technical, but we are delighted at how the project is coming
together and the partnership that has developed with Lichfield and Hatherton
Canals Restoration Trust.
“This is a complex development for us, providing new homes, a primary school,
mixed use community hub, footpaths, cycleways, and open space, including
children’s plays areas and sports areas, and it will be a real benefit for people
living in this part of the city.”
Joint LHCRT / Persimmon press releasePhotos: Paul Marshall 4th November 2020
Space is extremely tight where the new Lichfield Southern Bypass needs to
pass the original Lock 23 beside St John’s Wharf serving the City. It was long
thought that the original straight course of the canal meant that old Lock 23
would have to be replaced by a new structure nearby, priced in the Feasibility
Study in 2009 at £200,000.
A logical solution lay in a “bent lock” by slightly widening part of the west end
of the Lock on the towpath side to enable boats to pass in and out of a
“curved channel”. Convincing doubters of this reality has been a hard-fought
battle to incorporate this into the bypass design which is initially required by
Persimmon Homes to access their new St. John’s Grange housing estate in
Spring 2021.
By adopting the Trust’s innovative solution, progress now being made on this
section of the Lichfield Canal as part of the Bypass Construction is the result
of many years of negotiations between the Trust with Staffs County
Highways, Persimmon Homes and Amey.
Read more in 'Cut Both Ways' Autumn 2020 (members only)
We had long said; “One day, we must explore the exact state of Lichfield Canal Lock 23 near London Road”. That day came on 3rd July 2017 following written consent on 23rd June from the Town Clerk for the City Council as landowners. In just one day, remnants of the 220 year old Lock emerged as the 50 year infill since abandonment was excavated, first at the head, then the tail positions. The old black & white picture below shows that the structure is extremely solid, although some of the upper walls had been reduced when a water drainage pipe was laid through the channel before final closure. The picture showing the blue/red paving is of the upper canal approach channel in front of the top lock gate. The curved recess for the top lock gate is visible in the lock side wall.
