Laudable and worthwhile as the work being carried out at Newton Common Lock is (see article and pictures later in this issue), the Society has always seen its efforts there as being but the curtain-raiser for the main event in that area - the restoration of the whole section between Penkford Bridge and Bradley Lock. This would put back into water the most historical stretch of the whole Canal ( see CUTTINGS Vol.4.2: "Putting a Rocket Under Restoration Plans"), and so bring nearer the re-opening of the whole line of the Sankey Navigation. Large streams from little fountains flow, Tall oaks from little acorns grow, as Mr. Everett said while the Sankey Canal was enjoying its 18th Century success.

The script is now being written: £300,000 has been allocated within St Helens MBC’s programme under the Merseyside Single Regeneration Bid No.5 for restoration work on this stretch. The estimated cost of restoring this section, as outlined in the Report by WS Atkins in 1996 was £1,824,000. Doubtless this cost will have risen with inflation, but the allocation makes a very substantial first step towards raising that sum. A working group has been formed between the SCARS Executive and Officers from the Borough to tap every funding source available to put together the required funding package. Its first task will be to appoint Consultants to work up the Atkins proposals into a full-costed engineering design for carrying out the restoration. SRB5 spending begins in the year 2000/01, and runs for six years, and it is hoped that this project will be completed well with that period - in time for the 250th Anniversary of the Sankey Brook Navigation Act of September 1755.

Meanwhile, an application was made in the Society’s name for a grant under the European Regional Development Fund. An award of £20,000 was made for physical restoration work on the Canal. At its recent Executive Meeting SCARS decided to apply this money towards the restoration of Hey Lock. A preliminary enquiry with the Callis Mill Workshops of the Rochdale Canal indicate that the price of fitting a new set of gates to this lock would be approximately £20,000. By attracting additional sums, and the use of volunteer labour, the lock could be put back into use quite easily. As described elsewhere, this beautiful, rural section of waterway is currently the subject of repair work to the towpath, which would mean that it could then be utilised for trip boat work. It would still require further work to bring it back to fully navigable status, but that is, in terms of other issues along the Sankey, relatively simple.

At the same Executive Meeting, we heard that Warrington Borough Council has been asked by the Regional Development Agency to put together a Strategy for Environmental Regeneration within the Borough. The restoration of the Sankey, at the Atkins Report estimated cost of £23 million, has been included within this. There may be many more hurdles to be jumped before such funding becomes reality, but we are encouraged by the awards made in St Helens and, of course, the actual progress being made on the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale Canals, to believe that canal restoration has risen in the estimation of those who are looking for ways of bringing both economic and environmental benefits to communities, and that such major funding is thought to be well-spent on such projects. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions will doubtless have this in mind when the RDA presents Warrington’s proposals. We will be watching the progress of this exercise with great interest, and will be doing whatever we can to encourage the adoption of the canal’s restoration into ant ensuing Progranmme. If nothing else, however, it is a very welcome sign of the commitment of Warrington Council to the restoration of the Canal.