Our canal restoration is under 1,000 meters from the Selly Oak hospital we are therefore able, with your help, to offer cheap residential boat mooring to NHS personnel.  Residential narrowboats have the lowest Community Charge rating therefore the spaces are affordable to the lowest pay-band workers and are convenient for the hospital.  Once our residential marina is complete there will be approximately berths available.  Priority mooring allocation will be given to NHS personnel.

The Lapal Canal Trust is currently restoring the 2.5-mile length of canal from Selly Oak to Bartley Green.  This restoration of a disused canal will then continue until it joins the green park at Rowley Regis. Thus, will form a wonderfully important western Birmingham canal ring. We begin Phase One with the construction of the Winding Hole, which will be a new water attraction at the heart of Selly Oak.  To date various funds specific to the winding hole have been agreed by Veolia and Unite Students whose new building overlooks the site.  In 2013 the new Sainsbury’s development in Selly Oak envisaged permanently closing the canal route, following a public outcry the planning application was unanimously refused. In total, for Phase One, we estimate that we need to raise about £700K, to date we have raised about £380k.

Whilst our goal is restoring a western Birmingham canal ring our more immediate task is completing a canal junction at Selly Oak, with a turning point for boats (Winding Hole) - a permanent landscaped water feature at Selly Oak.  Phase two will be restoring the abandoned canal to the California area complete with an inland Marina.  Thus, not only providing vast outdoor activities opportunities but a disadvantaged area will be regenerated for the advantage of all.  The Birmingham canal ring which will bring life, beauty and renovation to deprived and disadvantaged areas.  There is scope to remove this wasteland and produce an affluent corridor of fragrant towpaths, new residential housing and commercial properties.