Monday, 14 September 2015

Studley Grange really happenning and organisation changes

When you  spend as much time as I do planning the Wilts & Berks canal restoration it is truly exciting to see actual restoration happening.  Last Thursday Land & Water Services Ltd arranged a site visit for members of the Canal Partnership  to the works at Studley Grange.  You can get a  flavour of the current works on the WBCT website http://www.wbct.org.uk/about-the-trust/trust-news/1382-studley-grange-progress-video where there is also a link to images of the restoration progress.  It is hoped that work will have progressed sufficiently by the AGM for a site visit by WBCT members.
The work certainly comes into the category of ”a big job”!  Spurred on by this the engineering team is currently designing  the bridge required for Bincknoll Lane which, when built, will link Studley Grange to the Morningside Farm section.

The plans for reorganising WBCT structure and management have now been discussed at a series of members’ meetings and the final proposals will be sent to all members as part of the papers for the AGM where approval for the changes will be the main part of the formal business.  You may have just seen that as part of the route to these changes WBCT has had the opportunity to appoint Jonathan Till as an interim Chief Executive.  Please see the announcement from Chairman Roderick Bluh http://www.wbct.org.uk/about-the-trust/trust-news/1383-appointment-of-jonathan-till-as-interim-chief-executive

Last week’s meeting with the Environment Agency was very positive and we hope that the issues that have been delaying consideration of the planning application for Mouldon Hill have now been resolved.
This week the Melksham Link project team will be meeting to review progress on the Environment Statement that will trigger the next stage of the planning application.

Further discussions are being held with Swindon Borough Council to see how the long term ownership and management of the canal can be carried out, extending the agreement we already have for the section at Wichelstowe.

Finally just to remind you about the WBCT AGM which is on Sat 17th October at the Memorial Hall Royal Wootton Bassett. http://www.wbct.org.uk/about-the-trust/trust-news/1373-trust-agm-preliminatary-notice

 

Ken Oliver

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