Lydney docks' refurbishment ends

The docks will be reopened by the Mayor of Lydney

A two-year refurbishment programme on Lydney's historic docks is due to be completed on Saturday.

The docks on the Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire have been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

"They will be a living, working facility for residents and visitors," said Toby Willison of the Environment Agency which manages the docks.

During the hey-day of the docks around 300,000 tons of coal were exported annually in more than 2,000 ships.

In 2003 a grant of £873,000 was secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the restoration.

The grant was supplemented by the Environment Agency, English Heritage, Gloucestershire Country Council, the Forest of Dean District Council and Lydney Town Council.

The works have included dredging the dock and harbour to remove many tons of silt and replacing the dilapidated hand-operated timber gates with four custom-made automated metal-gates.

The dock will be ceremonially opened at 1100 BST by the Mayor of Lydney Councillor Martin Bowring and Environment Agency Area Manager Toby Willison.