AS PART of the North Oxfordshire expansion which will provide new homes and associated facilities, Cherwell District Council is keen to incorporate the canal South of Banbury into its plans.
The plans, which include housing and extensive shopping facilities including a pub also include improvement to the Oxford Canal, making it into a 'recreation corridor', Kevin McNiff tells us.
Major feature
The scheme, where it runs in parallel with the waterway will become a major feature within the urban area, it is stated. There is the opportunity to create a mooring basin 'creating a focus of colour and activity and bring to life the canal', with a public park and the new development.
A waters edge public house and restaurant it is claimed will also assist this objective, with a footpath/cycleway route running along the west side of the canal, providing a convenient route to the town centre. The possibility of a water bus linking this development to the town centre will be explored.
New road access
New road access will be created to link the development with the proposed moorings and public house, together with traffic calming and a 20mph speed limit, putting the needs of pedestrians and cyclists above those of the car.
The proposals are for permanent and residential boats in the new basin, with the number and density of boats not being too great so that there would be a barrier separating people from the waterway, with no moorings being permitted on the towpath side.
As yet, we are informed that Canal & River Trust have not been approached with regards to the proposed basin and moorings.