The draft Hereford City Masterplan – A Vision for our City in 2050 has been published
… and while there is still a long way to go, the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal is included as particular part of the proposal. More specifically, re-establishing the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal is Big Idea 10 (of twelve) in the Plan, which states;
“The route of the former Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal provides and important ecological and historical asset for both Hereford and the wider county.
Ongoing plans to restore the canal should be brought right into the city centre with the creation of a new Hereford Terminus. Additional water-based recreation and community facilities should be provided within Aylestone Park, providing access to the water and interactions with nature for all.
The historic route of the canal, which is protected under Core Strategy Policy E4 of Hereford’s existing Local Plan, should be safeguarded through Hereford and reinstated as a blue-green active travel corridor along its towpath as a priority. Once the route is secured, aspirations for future rewetting, recreation and biodiversity enhancements can be delivered in partnership with the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust.”