New “community basin” in a Hereford park would link up with what is left of the city’s main canal

The design of a new “community basin” in a Hereford park that would link up with what is left of the city’s main canal has been released.

A flood-prone part of the Aylestone Park in the northeast of the city would become a pool for full-size and model boats, paddle boards and other leisure uses, according to the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust, which is leading on the plan.

“The canal sits high here, and the adjacent land in the park is liable to flooding,” the trust’s head of engineering Rob Hargreaves said. “This could help.”

The plans, which are yet to be put forward for planning permission, show a westward extension to the stretch of the 19th-century canal already within the park.

This would link to the new basin across what is currently the access road to the lower car park. The road would be moved to the south side of the basin.

The car park would be extended to provide parking for boats, while there would be a mooring area within the basin itself. The current play area beside the car park would be unaffected.

According to Herefordshire Council’s draft city masterplan, which commits to re-establishing more of the canal in the city, a new community basin in the park “could help to reinforce this stretch of the canal as a recreation asset for the whole of Hereford to enjoy”.

But the trust has recently questioned the commitment of the council, and of developers, to making this happen in practice.