UPDATE (posted on January 12, 2023)
Dredging of one section of the Bude canal to the south of Truscott’s Bridge will begin as planned later this month.
The start date for dredging the commercial lower zones of the canal has been rescheduled for later in the year to mitigate against any possibility of these major works affecting the town during the busy Easter holiday period.
Dredging the lower zones close to the town will have an inevitable impact and we are constantly reviewing our methods and programme to mitigate and reduce those impacts. Additionally, there are ecological constraints in the canal to consider. Taking all these factors into account, the window for completing all the dredging work this side of Easter is small.
For these practical reasons, dredging in the lower zones will now start in the autumn.
We continue to work hard to deliver the best scheme possible to protect this iconic asset for Bude.
A major scheme to dredge the Bude Canal is due to start in the coming weeks.
The programme, which will be delivered by Cormac, will reinstate a safe navigable depth for watercraft along the canal and restore the role of the canal in carrying flood waters as part of the flood defence strategy for Bude.
Works are due to begin from January 23, depending on weather conditions, and are due to be completed before the summer.
For safety reasons, the canal will be closed for the duration of the in-water dredging operation, expected to be from late January through February. There will also be restricted access on sections of the tow path and cycleway.
Dredged material from the harbour and upper wharf will be stored temporarily in the adjacent carparks and then transported away by lorry.
As a result, part of the Harbour Car Park and half of Crescent Car Park will be closed during the works. Summerleaze and Crooklets Car Parks will remain fully open.
Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change for Cornwall Council, said: “This is a long-anticipated scheme that will bring huge benefits to Bude and those who enjoy the canal via boats and other watercraft.
“This programme will also help increase flood resilience and restore the role of the canal in carrying flood waters and in turn make the area more resilient to the impacts of climate change.“
A public meeting about the scheme will take place at the Conference Room at the Parkhouse Centre (Bude Stratton Town Council) on Thursday, January 12, 2022, at 1.30pm.
Residents and businesses owners are invited to come along to find out more about the scheme and ask any questions they may have. There is no need to book.
To find out more about the dredging programme, visit the Let’s Talk Cornwall website.
Press release issued on January 5, 2023
Update (January 6, 2023): The public meeting will now take place in Room 4 at the Parkhouse Centre (Bude Stratton Town Council).