£2.1M Lydney Harbour Regeneration Project begins
Locals who have been taking their daily exercise at Lydney Harbour may have noticed that construction work has recently begun.
The work is the first phase of the £2.1M Destination Lydney Harbour project, funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Coastal Community Fund. The project, devised by Lydney Coastal Community Team (LCCT), will create safe, attractive transport routes into Lydney Harbour and develop the area as a recreation and tourism destination.
The buildings currently being upgraded are the old mortuary and store buildings which will become the new accessible toilets and heritage information point. Alongside these existing buildings will be the much anticipated, new modular café building that will serve light refreshments to visitors.
Richard Morgan, Regeneration Officer at Forest of Dean District Council said:
“We’ve been planning this work since we received the news that the Coastal Communities Team’s bid was successful and we are delighted to make a start on site. Of course the COVID-19 pandemic has meant for some programme rescheduling but our fantastic contractors have worked with us to overcome these obstacles and ensure safe practices on site. The building work should finish by October with the café installation and opening scheduled for next year. The LCCT members include the Environment Agency and Lydney Yacht Club, both of which have been instrumental in works getting underway”
As well as the work to the buildings, mooring and seating points will be installed and improvements made to cycle and walking routes, highway, and station approach. Signage will be improved, a new walking trail will be developed and a two-part public artwork will be installed. Lydney Skiff, a community rowing boat building project is also underway – bringing this traditional craft back to Severnside.
Forest of Dean District Councillor, Bernie O’Neill, cabinet member for Economy said:
“The news that the Destination Lydney Harbour project has started on site is very welcome. As the COVID-19 lockdown eases we are entering a critical period of recovery, the completion of the harbour regeneration project will help strengthen our community and local economy and complement the immediate work we are doing now to ensure people feel safe when they come into our towns"
Contact Information
Forest of Dean Communications Team
Notes to editors
The Destination Lydney Harbour bid was submitted to MHCLG’s Coastal Communities Fund and the project awarded funding in September 2019. The project consists of a number of elements which cover the area from the A48 roundabout on Harbour Road to the docks and harbour and serve to improve connections between these areas and the town centre. They can be broadly categorised as Improvements to Access Routes and Wayfinding, Enhancements to the Landscape, Enabling Increased Use of the Canal, Docks and Harbour.
The DLH project includes the refurbishment and conversion of the Harbour Store and Mortuary buildings to provide a heritage information point and toilet facilities respectively plus the installation of a modular café unit.
The Lydney Coastal Community Team (LCCT) is a multi-partnership group with membership representing interests at the local, district and county level. It was formed in 2015 as an open forum, anyone with an interest in the docks and harbour is welcome to attend. The next meeting is to be scheduled shortly. More information can be found on the District Council’s webpage: Lydney Docks & Harbour.
Coastal Communities Fund
The Great British Coast has enormous economic potential and this government is determined to see it thrive all year round.
That’s why by 2020 the Government will have invested over £200 million in our much loved seaside areas through dedicated programmes like Coastal Communities Fund to help in generating jobs and boosting businesses.
So far, analysis has shown that this has been money well spent with every £1 invested having the potential to create an up to £8 boost to our coastal economies. To find out more visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coastal-communities-fund