Plans to reopen Derbyshire canal submitted

A 12-mile stretch of waterway in Derbyshire could be restored at a cost of £45m.

A planning application has been submitted to Derby City Council to reopen the filled-in canal between Swarkestone and Sandiacre.

A new marina could also be created in Spondon.

A spokesman for the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society said the work could be completed within 10 years and would be a major boost to the area.

Over the past three years the society has had a number of engineering and environmental surveys carried out as well as talking to more than 135 landowners.

Developer funding

But Chris Madge, from the group, believed it was worth the effort.

He said: "It will have a major impact on the lives of people in Derby.

"You only have to look at the likes of Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester to see how things have transformed since you got water, living water, into a city."

He added: "But as this planning application goes along, what we really want is the people to get behind it, to show the politicians what a feeling there is to get in back in use."

Funding has so far come from local development agencies and lottery backing will be sought but the society also expects local developers to back the regeneration as part of wider improvements to the area.