UPDATE: Urgent repairs are progressing on the Bridgewater Canal in Cheshire following a catastrophic flooding event that resulted in significant structural damage. Stabilisation works initiated after the canal’s breach on January 1, 2023, are nearly completed, with full-scale reconstruction expected to begin in the summer of 2026.
The Bridgewater Canal Company has confirmed that the repair programme has entered its next phase. With the stabilisation efforts wrapping up, the formal design process for reinstating the embankment is now in motion. After a competitive tender process, SLR Consulting has been appointed as the principal consultant to oversee the design and project management of the reinstatement.
Since the flooding, extensive measures have been implemented to secure the canal’s safety. Temporary dams, stoplogs, and embankment supports have effectively stabilised the site, reducing the unnavigable stretch of the canal to under half a mile.
The adjacent landowner, the National Trust, in collaboration with Cheshire East Council and the Environment Agency, released a Geo-environmental Site Investigation report in September. The report confirmed: “Testing showed that the flood-affected soils at the site do not pose a risk to human health from chemical or microbiological sources.” This finding has enabled full access for extensive specialist surveys, which have now been completed.
Looking ahead, further targeted ecological and environmental surveys will occur in the coming weeks. Upon finalising these surveys, the contractor procurement process will commence. Pending the outcomes of these ecological assessments and engineering designs, construction works are anticipated to start in summer 2026, with completion aimed for the end of 2026.
Peter Parkinson, managing director of the Bridgewater Canal Company, stated, “We recognise how important the canal is to boaters, local residents, and the wider Cheshire Ring. We’re pleased to have appointed SLR Consulting as principal consultant; their extensive experience in civil infrastructure and canal projects will be invaluable as we move into the next phase of these complex repairs.”
SLR Consulting expressed enthusiasm about supporting the project, stating, “With our experience in civil engineering and canal infrastructure, we look forward to helping restore this historic stretch of the Bridgewater Canal.”
Residents and stakeholders are urged to stay tuned for further updates as plans develop. The restoration of the Bridgewater Canal is not only crucial for navigation but also for the local community’s connection to this historic waterway.
