The Big Lottery Fund has just announced the final three winners of the 70 million poun Living Landmarks grants programme.
The bad news is that the Cotswold Canals Phase 1b (Saul to Stonehouse) hasn't made it. This is not to be confused with Phase 1a (Stonehouse via Stroud to Brimscombe Port) which is hopefully (fingers crossed) still going ahead with major funding from Heritage Lottery Fund and Regional Development Agency support. The good news is that the Scottish Helix project has made it. This is a major 'public space' type scheme with some canal content - in particular reopening the original east entrance to the Forth & Clyde to bypass the more difficult Carron Cut route. I'll let the rest of you discuss if it's good or bad news that this means those bizarre giant nodding horses head sculptures will be built as part of the operating mechanism for the entrance lock... The other two winners are non-canal related projects in Cornwall and Northern Ireland. There is still the BLF Living Landmarks People's Millions grant of around 50 million to be decided by email and TV poll, with the Black Country scheme involving reopening some more of the underground canals under Dudley still in the running - decision to be made in December. Martin L
