The Stroudwater Canal has secured £6.46 million in National Lottery funding to restore key sections of the historic waterway — including the long-awaited reinstatement of its “missing mile”.
The project, led by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust, will see the canal taken beneath the M5, reconnecting the currently landlocked Stroudwater Navigation to the national inland waterways network for the first time in more than 70 years.
A new fully accessible towpath will link Stroud with Gloucester and Sharpness, while a continuous wildlife corridor will be created to support threatened habitats and biodiversity.
The scheme also includes new canal-side community spaces and an expanded heritage programme featuring what is believed to be the world’s oldest canal archive. Young people will be involved through school engagement, volunteering and a say in shaping the canal’s future.
Council leaders say the investment will provide major social and economic benefits, reconnecting communities across the Stroud Valleys, Stonehouse, Gloucester and the Severn Vale. It is expected to boost tourism and help revitalise one of England’s most significant former mill regions.
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has already delivered major environmental improvements, including wetland creation, orchard restoration and four kilometres of new hedgerows. More than 750 volunteers have contributed over 93,000 hours to the restoration in the last four years.
Taryn Nixon OBE, Trustee at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the project would “unlock lasting benefits for local economies and people’s health and wellbeing”, while celebrating globally important industrial heritage.
Stroud District Council Leader Chloe Turner welcomed the funding as key to delivering the council’s plan for a stronger and greener district.
Cotswold Canals Trust chair David Hagg described the award as “historic”, bringing the long-held vision of reconnection within reach.
The latest grant brings the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s total support for the Cotswold Canals Connected programme to more than £16m, ahead of the canal’s 250th anniversary in 2029.
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