Industrial And Transport

Sankey Canal - Connecting Communities and Heritage

To protect and enhance a short section of the Sankey Canal, England’s first Industrial canal, and to bring to public attention, The Broad Oak Basin, a lost feature responsible for the expansion of the settlements of Parr and Haydock. A key aspect is establishing a partnership of heritage owners and local interest group to develop new ways of working together which can be replicated elsewhere on the canal. Recent consultation has shown that, whilst the Sankey Canal is a valued recreational resource, this section is in need of urgent works to enhance accessibility. There is very little awareness of the, lost, Broad Oak Basin or of the significance of the “Old Double Lock”, the world’s first staircase lock which is need of urgent repair.