WARRINGTON’S historic Sankey Canal, the first canal built in England in 1757, has been awarded a £654,000 grant from the Coastal Communities Fund.
The money has been awarded jointly to Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Councils in order to sustain and facilitate economic growth on the section of the Sankey Canal (pictured above ) that exists between Widnes and Warrington.
The successful partnership funding bid was made by the two local authorities in conjunction with the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS).
It will finance a new, permanent Marsh House Bridge for the Riverside Trading Estate, create apprenticeships and training opportunities and improve marketing, signage and branding in order to protect and grow existing businesses and help create new ones along the Sankey Canal.
Twelve apprenticeships will be created along with two direct jobs and, it is anticipated, up to a further 23 indirect jobs.
Wider than the current temporary bridge and its predecessor, the new Marsh House Bridge will be a lift bridge which can be opened for water traffic as and when the aspiration to clean and open up the canal to the west of the bridge is realised. The council is also contributing £225,000 capital funding to the grant sum to enable high quality bridge to be installed.
Cllr Linda Dirir, executive board member for highways, transportation and climate change at Warrington Borough Council, said: “I am proud that our joint funding bid has been successful. Our historic Sankey Canal has been a neglected asset and this funding this will give us the opportunity to work with our colleagues at Halton to maximise its potential to create and enhance employment and leisure opportunities.
“It is great news that we can now look to deliver a permanent solution to the issue of Marsh House Bridge. As soon as the grant is formally made available we can work on a programme of construction to build the new bridge that minimises disruption to businesses.”
Built in 1757 the canal connected the Town of St Helens to the River Mersey and was built to supply coal to the growing chemical industries of Liverpool via Warrington.
Trade along the canal fuelled the growth of St Helens, Earlestown, and Widnes, all of which had been small villages prior to the canal.
The canal was also provided the first rail to ship freight facility in the world.
Mor einformation about the canal can be found at www.scars.org.uk
Funding boost for historic Sankey Canal
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
