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After six years of planning, design and preparation, construction has officially begun on the Missing Mile Project – a landmark stage in reconnecting the historic Cotswold Canals to the national inland waterway network.

The project, which is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, marks the start of construction on one of the final missing links between the restored Stroudwater Navigation and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Once complete, it will bring the vision of a fully navigable canal another significant step closer.

Since securing planning permission in June 2024, the Project Director and Engineering Team have worked extensively with National Highways, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Stroud District Council and local landowners to secure the wide range of permissions, licenses and land agreements required to deliver this nationally significant restoration project.

The River Frome has now been successfully diverted through an existing culvert beneath the M5, with temporary dams installed to enable construction under the M5.  Alongside the volunteer-led excavation works, Stroud District Council is acting as Principal Contractor working with a team of specialist contractors to construct this new canal channel in the River Frome beneath the M5 motorway. It follows many years of planning and close collaboration with National Highways, the Environment Agency, Natural England and other project partners.

Extensive enabling works have been completed, including the creation of a new site compound and haul road, together with preparation of the future canal corridor. Volunteer excavation teams have now begun constructing approximately 750 metres of new canal, extending east from John Robinson Lock towards the M5. The new waterway will ultimately include flood banks, a new towpath and two new locks, creating a vital section of the restored canal.

Before excavation commenced, the engineering team carried out detailed flood modelling and ground investigations to inform construction. Materials excavated from the site, including topsoil, subsoil, clay and gravel which are being carefully separated so they can be reused wherever possible throughout the project. Much of this material will be used to construct new flood banks and raise sections of the towpath. To support the works, the Trust has adapted its fleet of dumper trucks with wider cross-country tyres to minimise ground disturbance, while volunteer working days have increased to help maintain progress on this major engineering undertaking.

To ensure public safety during these operations, the footpath alongside the south bank of the River Frome has been temporarily closed. A signed diversion route has been provided through the Missing Mile site, allowing continued access for walkers while construction progresses, further details on this can be seen on the website: www.cotswoldcanals.org.

The Missing Mile Project forms part of the wider Cotswold Canals Connected programme, led by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust, in partnership with Canal & River Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, the Stroud Valleys Canal Company and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. The programme has received £15.4 million in investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, helping to restore one of Britain's most important historic waterways while delivering environmental, heritage, wellbeing and economic benefits for local communities.

David Hagg, Chair of Trustees at the Cotswold Canals Trust, said:
"The start of construction on the Missing Mile is a truly historic moment for the Cotswold Canals Trust and everyone who has supported this remarkable restoration over many years. It represents the culmination of countless hours of planning, engineering and partnership working, but above all it reflects the extraordinary commitment of our volunteers, partners and supporters.”

Chris Mitford-Slade, Cotswold Canals Connected Project Director, said: 
“Building a new canal through the Missing Mile with two new locks, a mooring basin and the construction of a new canal channel in the River Frome is no small feat. The work of the engineering team, specialist contractors, volunteers and partners, with the support of landowners and the vital backing from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, makes this possible. This project provides a blue-green corridor under the M5 for the first time since 1969, reconnecting communities and bringing benefits to a wide range of people. This is a strategic project which retains and restores the heritage of the canal and the Stroud valleys and will bring economic opportunities and benefits once restored.”

Stuart McLeod, Director England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "This is a landmark moment for the Cotswold Canals Connected project, reconnecting communities with their heritage and restoring a vital corridor for nature after the landscape was divided by the M5. This ambitious restoration is bringing a nationally significant waterway back to life, creating new opportunities for people to explore their local history and improving access to nature. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are proud to support the Cotswold Canals Trust as work begins on the Missing Mile, delivering lasting environmental, wellbeing and economic benefits for local communities and helping ensure this important heritage is valued for generations to come."

Construction will continue over the coming months, with regular updates shared as the project progresses.

This press release has been issued by The Cotswold Canals Trust on behalf of the Cotswold Canals Connected partnership.

As we make the most of the summer holidays, there’s plenty happening across the district for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The Stratford Park Lido has now reopened, thanks to the enormous efforts of everyone involved in bringing this much-loved facility back into use. Whether you call it the lido or the outdoor pool, it's great to see it welcoming visitors again. To guarantee entry, tickets can be booked through the Active Lifestyles website, while some spaces are also reserved for walk-in visitors. There's also a brand new café and shop on site too.

There are two more Big Summer Picnic & Play Friday events to come in Stratford Park this August, offering a fantastic range of free and low-cost activities for families. From sports, arts and crafts and museum activities to food, drink and entertainment, there's plenty to keep everyone busy. If you're planning to attend, please be mindful of parking. Overflow parking is available at SGS College and Tesco when the main car parks are full - thank you to both organisations for their support. And while you're there, don't forget everything else Stratford Park has to offer across its 56 acres, including the arboretum, shaded woodland, lake, sensory garden, children's play areas, tennis courts, museum and large open spaces.

We're also celebrating the success of Stroud Funding, our community crowdfunding platform, which has helped raise more than £588,000 for local projects since launching in April 2024. The funding has supported a wide range of brilliant community-led initiatives. The next funding round opens soon, with information workshops taking place on 9 and 10 September. Visit Stroud Funding - Home - Spacehive to find out more. 

Finally, please take extra care during the current dry weather. Local fire crews continue to report evidence of fires across the district, which could have devastating consequences for wildlife and put lives at risk. We're working with the National Trust to raise awareness of the dangers and thank Ranger Tom for helping install new signs at Selsley Common.

If you'd like to keep up to date with council news, events, service updates and other local information, why not sign up for our weekly email bulletin? It lands in subscribers' inboxes every Friday and is a simple way to stay informed about what's happening across the district. Sign up here https://stroud.gov.uk/emailalerts

Community groups across Stroud district are celebrating a major milestone after more than £588,000 was raised through the first three rounds of Stroud Funding, Stroud District Council’s community crowdfunding platform.

Since launching in April 2024, the programme has helped local people turn ideas into reality, by financing a wide range of projects that make a difference to communities across the district. From youth services and community growing projects to arts initiatives and support networks, Stroud Funding has shown what can be achieved when residents, businesses, organisations and the council work together.

Across the first three rounds:

• £588,856 has been raised for community projects
• 33 projects were supported, with 30 reaching their crowdfunding targets
• The programme achieved a 97% success rate
• More than 3,500 local backers supported projects
• Over £142,000 has been pledged by Stroud District Council, helping to unlock significant additional funding from the wider community
• Projects also attracted offers of volunteer support, creating 73 hours of volunteering opportunities and 200 hours of training provided.

Projects supported through Stroud Funding have included The Subscription Rooms, The Night Angels, Redz - Stroud's first youth hub, BATCOM Community Composters, and the Silvers and Carers Artistic Support Hub, demonstrating the wide variety of ideas being brought to life across the district.

Angela Gillingham, Stroud District Council’s Head of Community Services said:

"Reaching more than half a million pounds in funding is a fantastic achievement and shows the strength, creativity and community spirit that exists across Stroud district.

"Stroud Funding has helped local organisations secure the support they need to deliver projects that benefit residents, tackle local challenges and bring people together. We're proud that council funding has helped unlock even more investment from the community and other backers."

The Subscription Rooms has recently hit its Stroud Funding Boiler Appeal target. Nadja Singh, The Sub Rooms’ Development Manager said:

“It’s really difficult to raise money for something like a boiler - it’s not exactly glamorous. But we couldn’t run this venue without it, so we’re really grateful that the community and SDC understood this and supported us to make sure that we can keep our doors open to the public all year round. We can’t thank everyone who donated enough.”

Tom Shakhli, Head of Impact at Spacehive said:

 "What I like about these numbers is how many people are in them. More than 3,500 local backers, most of them chipping in small amounts, turned 30 ideas into funded projects. Council pledges helped unlock that funding, though the projects succeeded because their communities showed up. That's crowdfunding doing exactly what it's meant to."

While most projects have successfully reached their targets, there is still time to support several projects from Round 3 that are continuing to raise funds including repairing the roof at Severn Area Rescue Association’s Sharpness Lifeboat station, improving wheelchair access at Stroud Rugby Club, funding play equipment for North Nibley Play Area, protecting the River Frome, and funding defibrillators across the district.

Residents can make a difference by pledging from as little as £2, or by offering their time, skills and expertise as a volunteer.

Angela added:

"Every contribution helps. Whether it's a small donation or a few hours of your time, community backing can make the difference between a good idea and a successful project."

Applications for Round 4 of Stroud Funding will open in the autumn, giving even more community groups the opportunity to secure funding for local projects.

Anyone interested in finding out more is invited to attend one of two launch events taking place on 9 and 10 September, where potential applicants can learn how the programme works, what support is available and how to develop a successful crowdfunding campaign.

•    Wed 9 September, 6 – 7.30pm at the Museum in the Park
•    Thursday 10 September, 6 – 7pm online

To support current projects, or to register for a Round 4 launch event, visit Stroud Funding - Home - Spacehive

Read the full Stroud Funding impact report here: Impacts - Spacehive