Plans announced to build pool for boats in Hereford park

The community basin would be linked to the 19th Century canal in Aylestone Park

Plans have been released to create a pool for full-size and model boats in a flood-prone park.

Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust has proposed to build the community basin in Aylestone Park.

The design sees the pool being linked to what is left of Hereford's main canal.

"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.

The plans show the 19th Century canal being extended and connected to the new basin across what is currently the access road to the lower car park.

A road would be moved to the south side of the basin.

The plans see the pool being used for full-size and model boats, paddle boards and other leisure uses

To make way for parking for the boats, the current car park would be extended, while there would be a mooring area within the basin itself. T

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".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.