12th January 2015
Press Release from the Veolia Environmental Trust
A project to install new lock gates on the Chesterfield Canal in Staveley can go ahead thanks to a funding boost from The Veolia Environmental Trust.
We have awarded Derbyshire County Council a grant of £37,500 towards the manufacture and installation of the new gates. The work will be third phase of a project to construct Staveley Town Lock in Staveley Town Basin.
The new lock will provide a centrepiece to the site. When it is completed, the basin will be a combination of water-space on the canal and open green space for dry-land exhibits to be used during regular canal festival events.
The grant was one of 53 recently awarded by our Board to community and environmental projects across the UK, with the grants totalling over £1.4m. This total represents our commitment to making a difference to communities and the environment, and people of all ages and backgrounds.
We award grants through the Landfill Communities Fund and since we were established in 1997 we have awarded a total of over £3.9m to 89 projects in Derbyshire. We are now working with the county council to finalise the details of their project, including the start date, so it can get up and running as soon as possible.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, Councillor Dean Collins, says, “Redeveloping Staveley Basin is all part of our plans to create a thriving local economy in Derbyshire to benefit everyone. This funding will help us continue to restore the canal and make more of the waterway navigable as well as improving the area for visitors to help boost tourism.”
The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, adds, “The new lock gates will bring many benefits for Staveley, its residents and its visitors, and we look forward to seeing the start of their installation.”
End of Press Release
Chris Beech, Assistant Project Manager (MEGZ) / Team Leader Land Reclamation, said “The grant offer has been made by Veolia Environmental Trust as funding specifically toward design, fabrication and installation of new gates for the Staveley Town Lock. We have begun preparation of tender documents with respect to provision of gates and other lock ‘furniture’ and, following a very successful 2014, the Chesterfield Canal Trust and Derbyshire County Council will be working closely together throughout 2015 in a bid to achieve completion of the remainder of the engineering works required at Staveley Town Basin.”
The lock itself is being built by the Volunteer Work Party of the Chesterfield Canal Trust. Click here for the full story.
The lock under construction. Staveley Town Basin is in the background.