Dymock Winding Hole completed!


February 2016

First Phase at Dymock completed!

Dymock Parish Council wanted affordable housing to keep Dymock a vibrant community and ensure the survival of the village school (and other facilities including the community owned public house) plus a new car park to meet a long-standing severe shortfall in the village. The H&G CT wanted to start reconstructing the Canal through the village (on a long-identified essential diversion route) and a new play area created to partly replace one on the diversion line elsewhere in the village and a new footpath to the church and pub. There was no suitable site for an economically viable housing development within the village development boundary.

A partnership of H&G CT, Dymock Parish Council, the Housing Association and landowner Tomack Developments succeeded in eventually obtaining planning permission for a 20 house development on an ‘exception’ basis (solely because it facilitated the reconstruction of the H&G Canal) even though it was outside the normal development boundary. It was approved thanks to exceedingly strong support from Dymock Parish and Forest of Dean Councillors.

Benefits for Dymock:

  • 14 much needed affordable new rental properties run by the Housing Association
  • availability of the detached rental property owned and run by H&G CT
  • 5 ‘open market’ waterside homes (which are selling fast!)
  • a new 20-space car park
  • a new pedestrian access to the church and Beauchamp Arms creating better footpath links
  • a new play area to replace one partly blocking the route of the Canal. Benefits for the H&G CT:
  • a short length of the Canal completed close to the heart of the village
  • the freehold of this short length of the Canal (on an essential diversion route)
  • a percentage of the sale price of the 5 ‘open market’ properties
  • perpetual (index linked) income from each of these private properties towards the restoration and long-term maintenance and management of the Canal in the area

Our successful partnership with Dymock Parish Council, the Housing Association and particularly the support of landowner Tomack Developments and the ongoing support from Keyway has produced significant long lasting benefits for the village and the H&G CT. All the time and effort in pursuing our ‘different approach’ has brought long-term benefits not just to the H&G Canal but also to the community. The support and understanding of Dymock Parish Council and many of the residents has been of tremendous assistance throughout.

The Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust looks forward to a continuing partnership with the Parish Council on subsequent phases to complete the Canal through the village.