Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

Suggested Canal gateway – enhanced linkage between town and canal
Boundary improvements required
Potential future linkage
Restricted views to canal
Surfaced towpath
Unsurfaced towpath
Suggested ‘Canal Quarter’
development area
Areas of canalside greenspace
to be enhanced
Hedgerow management
Welshpool Mooring basin
Established in 1990s but currently underused due to low boat
traffic. Reduce height of canalside shrub planting to allow views
to canalside mooring basin. Possible stopping point for
waterbus for use of town facilities, information centre. Enhance
signage to encourage link to canal from town.
Poor boundaries with Welshpool Market. New gates
and fencing required to complement recent
resurfacing and steps to canalside.
Undertake access for all improvements including
reduction in height of existing interpretation board so
visible to wheelchair users and widening gated access
through white low timber fence. Reinstate locks.
Remove or replace damaged wall lighting on offside.
Establish who is responsible for offside maintenance.
Cut back vegetation to enhance walk along canal on
offside to re-establish link to Canal Museum.
Surface towpath. Lay hedge and open access to towpath near
footbridge. Hedgelaying should reduce height of hedge to allow
views to surrounding hills. Introduce signage to promote links to
Powis Castle.
Opportunities to provide a link between Powis Castle and town
centre via a trip boat (horse drawn) to allow visitor to castle to
also explore the town and its tourist facilities in the town
including the canal museum.
Embrace canalside as part of any possible
future redevelopment of Smithfield Market
site. Encourage open views to waterside.
Create linkage between existing historic
sites through Welshpool, e.g. Light Railway
and Motte and Bailey
Welshpool Aqueduct warehouse
Owned by Powis Castle. Used currently by BW as storage depot
but with potential as information point/centre/café with canal
visitor focus. Possible mooring point link to Glyndŵr Way and
provide access to nearby museum and town centre facilities.
Glyndŵr Park
Pocket park adjacent to the canal. Graffiti to retaining wall. No
focal point within the park. Currently used as a cut-through.
Redesign park to provide focal point. Potential to engage with
local artists and local community to help redesign park,
improvements could include mural to blank retaining wall, new
seating and sculpture to Glyndŵr Way and/or Dragonfly Trail.
The site and adjacent disused historic buildings offer the potential
to further enhance the canalside and provide a ‘canal quarter’ for
Welshpool adding value to the existing canal museum opposite
and bringing canal related leisure uses to both sides of the canal.
Promote innovative reuse of historic buildings
Enhance access link between school and
canalside. Promote canal as safe route to
scool and work. Maintain vergesw and
resurface path. Install signage.
Figure 7.2. Possible town centre improvements: Welshpool.
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