Society plans restoration of 18th Century Devon canal near Newton Abbot

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

An 18th Century south Devon canal is one step closer to being restored.
The Stover Canal near Newton Abbot was built by James Templer of Stover House to serve the ball clay industry.
In 1999 the Stover Canal Society was formed with the intention of restoring the scrub-filled waterway for fishing, rowing and wildlife.
Teignbridge District Council has now sub-leased the land to the Stover Canal Trust, paving the way for full restoration plans to be drawn up.
For more than a century the canal transported clay and minerals from the Bovey Basin and granite from quarries on Dartmoor.
The granite trade was relatively short-lived, lasting less than 40 years, but the canal continued to serve the clay industry until 1937.
The cost of the restoration is estimated at about ^5m, but before any funding applications can be made the trust must submit full plans to the canal owner, Network Rail.
Network Rail - formerly Railtrack - agreed to lease it without charge to Teignbridge District Council for leisure use by the community.