£30.2 million

A £30.2 million restoration project that would link Welshpool to the British canal network is being mooted, and it could open the town up to a potentially massive tourism windfall.

Work has been ongoing in recent years to breathe life back into the Montgomery Canal, but the ambitious next step is to upgrade and re-work the cross-border section so that boats can cross into Mid Wales for the first time in decades.

But it won’t come cheap and a document that we have seen this weekend reveals that it could cost as much as £30.2 million based upon a “realistic approach to funding and volunteer involvement”.

The document shows five phases of work and an allowance of more than £8 million for a nature reserve that will turn the route into one of Britain’s finest.

The estimate hasn’t deterred a steering committee that has come together to put the document out to consultation over the coming month.

“Following a meeting with Welsh Government and others an initiative has started to try and bring together the Welsh and Westminster Governments to support the re-opening of the canal to complete the work done by so many groups to date,” said a spokesperson.

“A small steering group has been put together including Welshpool Town Council, Montgomery Canal Partnership, Llangollen Town Council, representatives of the offices of the MP and AM together with Pat Ward and Michael Limbrey.

“This consultation is seeking the views of canal related groups with regard to a single plan to take forward. This plan has been discussed with the Steering Group who support the proposed refurbishment scheme.”

The consultation will run through to March 4 when the steering group meets again to consider its results before settling on a final single plan to take forward. Once agreed, a business plan as well as tourism case and feasibility studies can be completed for presentation.

For a copy of the plan, contact the Town Council on wtcouncil@btinternet.com.