Boats could be brought back to a disused part of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal as part of an estimated £65m restoration project over 10 years. The Canal and River Trust in partnership with local authorities wants to reopen the waterway between Five Locks in Cwmbran, to Barrack Hill in Newport, as well as the Cwmcarn branch. It could also be extended to meet the River Usk at Crindau, Newport, where a marina could be built.  Such plans are not new – GreenWeb recalls similar proposals over 25 years ago.

The Trust wants to employ consultants who will need to consider how 16 major crossings, such as bridges, and 22 minor crossings and obstructions would affect the reopening of the canal to boats. Andrew Stumpf, head of the Canal and River Trust in Wales, said the project would revitalise the canal network, act as a catalyst for attracting investment and boost wildlife on the water.