The Chesterfield Canal Trust (CCT) has extended the tender deadline to find a main contractor for a £4.5 million restoration and construction project on the Chesterfield Canal to 22nd August 2023.

The CCT’s aim is to promote the full restoration and appropriate development of the Chesterfield Canal. At the height of its dereliction, the canal had been reduced from a navigable length of 46 miles and 65 locks to only 26 miles and 16 locks.

Since 1989, 12 miles and 37 locks have been restored, with only a 8.5-mile gap between Staveley and Kiveton remaining.

IStaveley was selected as one of the towns to receive funding from the government’s Towns Fund, a scheme whereby 101 towns around the country were invited to bid for up to £25 million for regeneration projects and a portion of the £25 million was dedicated to the canal restoration.

The tender covers canal restoration works that extend from Staveley to the Doe Lea Valley and include the following:

• The design and construction of a new bridleway bridge (including abutments) for the Trans-Pennine Trail (TPT Bridge)
• The detailed design and construction of an earthwork embankment to form the new canal channel for 850m, including water supply
• The detailed design and construction of a new lock structure (Railway Lock)
• The detailed design and construction of a new vehicular bridge structure (Bellhouse Bridge)
• The detailed design and construction or upgrades of 3km of footways and bridleways, including those to the TPT Bridge
• All necessary 'temporary works' design and installation associated with all of the above

The contract will be a Design and Build, NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract

Estimated contract value is £4,500,000 with a proposed start date of 2 January 2024 and end date of 31 December 2025.

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 25 August 2023 – click here to access the updated tender documentation.