New bridge approved as restoration of historic canal progresses

Nation.Cymru staff

A historic canal is a step closer to reopening to boats after plans for a new lift bridge were approved.

Powys County Council has granted planning permission for the bridge carrying the B4398 over the Montgomery Canal near Llanymynech.

It will replace a flat road crossing built almost at water level after the former Williams Bridge was removed in 1980, blocking boats from passing through.

Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, expects construction to begin in early 2027. The B4398 will need to close temporarily during the work, with a signed diversion for motorists.

The bridge forms part of a UK Government-funded project to restore a four-mile section of canal between Llanymynech and Maerdy. Work on the nearby Carreghofa Lane bridge is nearing completion.

Richard Harrison, principal project manager at Glandŵr Cymru, said: “Securing planning permission for the new Williams Bridge is a major step forward for the Montgomery Canal restoration. Reinstating a navigable crossing at this location will help reconnect the waterway while ensuring the canal continues to provide benefits for local communities, visitors and wildlife.”

Other elements of the restoration programme include the creation of the Wern Pond and Vyrnwy wetland reserves and plans to safeguard the Vyrnwy Aqueduct.

The canal’s Welsh section is designated as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation because of the habitats and species it supports.

Glandŵr Cymru said its environmental specialists had carried out ecological surveys and assessments to help protect biodiversity during construction.

The trust is delivering the project with Powys County Council and support from the Montgomery Canal Partnership.

Councillor Glyn Preston, Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said: “It’s also crucial that extensive ecological surveys have been completed to ensure that biodiversity will be protected, keeping wildlife safe while restoring a valuable asset for locals and visitors to enjoy.”

John Dodwell, chair of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, said: “The rebuilding of Williams Bridge brings us another step closer to restoring a fully navigable waterway between Welshpool and Llanymynech.

“The Montgomery Canal is a unique asset, supporting both wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. It’s particularly pleasing to see restoration work being delivered alongside the creation of new nature reserves, ensuring conservation and navigation continue to go hand in hand.”

The Montgomery Canal stretches for 33 miles from the Llangollen Canal at Frankton Junction in Shropshire to Newtown, passing through Llanymynech and Welshpool.

Its origins lie in plans to improve agricultural land in the upper Severn valley by transporting lime. Local landowners backed the scheme in the hope of benefiting from increased crop yields.

The Montgomeryshire Canal was authorised by Parliament in 1794, and the first boat was launched near Welshpool in 1796. The waterway reached Garthmyl the following year, but financial difficulties delayed its extension to Newtown until 1819.

Abandoned

As well as limestone and coal for lime kilns, boats carried building stone, roofing slates, timber and other goods. Railway competition contributed to its decline, and a breach near Frankton Junction in 1936 brought through traffic to an end. The canal was formally abandoned in 1944.

Its restoration gathered momentum in 1969 when volunteers organised a “Big Dig” at Welshpool to oppose plans to use the canal’s route for a road bypass. More than 200 people helped clear a section of the waterway.

Decades of volunteer work and investment have since reopened sections, but gaps remain between navigable stretches. Lowered bridges, roads built across the channel and filled-in sections have presented obstacles to restoring the route.