If the Oasis/North Star development goes ahead as proposed, Swindon will lose forever the possibility of restoring a working canal. The canal line runs alongside the site along the cycleway from the Sheppard Street underpass towards Great Western Way. Unfortunately, this space isn’t wide enough for a functioning canal. Without a connection here, restoring the canal elsewhere becomes pointless—canals only work as part of the UK’s 2,000-mile waterway network.

All that’s needed to keep the canal dream alive is to shift the boundary of the development site slightly—by no more than 10 metres. SevenCapital, the developer, has ignored this simple adjustment, despite meeting with us and having had years to consider the canal’s importance to Swindon’s future.

Not sure if canals are worth it? Watch this 8-minute YouTube clip to see the benefits they bring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0B_2v-bLk Canals may seem expensive to restore, but the income they generate would pay back the costs in under 10 years—not to mention the proven recreational, health, and biodiversity benefits.

If you want to keep the canal option open, whether you like or dislike the Oasis proposals: