The Daventry Canal Arm
Work is progressing on plans to create a new arm linking the Grand Union Canal to the north east of Daventry Reservoir to a terminus basin within Site 3 of the proposed town centre developments. The design is being undertaken by the Council's appointed consultants, Hyder Consulting.
This 3.2km long arm will terminate in a series of three basins forming part of Site 3, which will be surrounded by a mixed use development, acting as a natural ‘glue’ between other sites including the iCon Building (Site 4G) and the Learning Quarter (Site 6).
The proposed route of the canal arm follows the south and eastern sides of Daventry Reservoir and will have a towpath along its length, sections for boat mooring and planted margins to provide habitat for aquatic plants and animals.
It is likely that there will be 7 locks over the length of the arm to accommodate a level difference of 20.5 metres, although a flight of 4 of the locks may be replaced by a boatlift that would be an opportunity to create a tourist attraction of regional and perhaps national importance. A boatlift would also reduce water usage on the canal allow quicker transit along the canal arm for boaters and, as a tourist attraction and leisure destination, could provide further opportunities for employment. There are a number of design proposals for a Daventry boatlift.
Daventry District Council has received grants of £275,000 from East Midlands Development Agency and Northamptonshire Enterprise Ltd over the last 12 months to help fund feasibility and design work into the WaterSpace project.
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