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New marina for Droitwich Canals
The recently-restored Droitwich Canals will soon have a brand-new facility for boaters. The Droitwich Spa Marina is due to be filled with water on Friday.
The Droitwich Canals officially reopened on 2 July 2011, and work on the marina began shortly afterwards on 22 July, when the first turf was dug by Countryfile presenter James Wong. Construction is now five weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to dry weather conditions, which have allowed work to continue uninterrupted.
The landowner, John Weston, said: “We look forward to welcoming boaters in the spring. We cannot believe how quickly the transformation from field to marina has happened. Just as a motorway needs service stations and car parking, a canal has a need for a narrowboat marina.”
Boating services
It will take approximately 45 million litres of water to fill the basin over a two-week period. Water will come from the existing British Waterways canal network, supplied from the Tardebigge reservoir. Once full, it will have to pass an official British Waterways ‘stilling test’ to make sure it is water-tight. This means checking it maintains its water level over a two-week period.
The family-owned, 238-berth marina will offer water and electricity at each jetty, luxury toilet, shower and bathroom facilities, fuel and pump out service areas and associated footpaths.
Construction work has been carried out with consideration for the environment. An existing old oak tree has been retained, a wildlife pond created and aquatic plants will be planted at the water’s edge
Jason Leach, Strategic Enterprise Manager from British Waterways said: “Some of the key aims of the restoration of the Droitwich Canals were to support the local economy, provide a visitor attraction and create business opportunities. We are delighted that Droitwich Spa Marina is the first to make the most of the canals’ restoration”.
Last updated: 15/12/2011
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