Canal Towpath Project 2023

The canal towpath through Crookham Village parish is heavily used both for recreation and, over some sections, for walking to school. One of the most heavily-used sections is from the Swing Bridge to Malthouse Bridge.

Muddy section looking North from the Swing Bridge

Over the years, that stretch of towpath had become very muddy in wet weather and in clear need of refurbishment. However, Basingstoke Canal Authority (BCA) funding was already allocated to higher-priority tasks elsewhere on the canal. Crookham Village Parish Council therefore decided to investigate funding refurbishment from council funds.

In conjunction with the BCA and Hampshire County Council officers, a proposal was developed, approved by the three parties, and put out to tender. Work was carried out during Spring 2023 and the section from the Swing Bridge to Malthouse Bridge plus a short length through Poulters Bridge has been resurfaced.

A small proportion of developer contributions from the Albany Park development will become available as the development is built to fund towpath refurbishment of further sections over the next few years.

Parish councillors standing on the same section after resurfacing.