AMBITIOUS plans to reopen the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal have been given a major boost with the news that funding is likely to be received for the crucial first phase of the project.

South Lakeland district councillor Andy Shine, who has long been involved with the scheme, told the latest full council meeting that Rural Regeneration Cumbria's grants panel had now agreed in principle to approve the funding of the design phase.

Supporters of the £60 million project, which will see the 14.5-mile stretch from Tewitfield, near Carnforth, to Canal Head, in Kendal, restored to its former route, have campaigned for the project to go-ahead for many years. Now it seems their perseverance has finally paid off.

The design phase is expected to cost around £750,000 and take two years. It will include the appointment of a full-time project manager and the employment of specialist consultants to carry out engineering studies, environmental impact assessments and property and planning work.

Coun Shine described the decision as a "major step forward" towards the restoration of the canal and praised officers and councillors for their work and support for the scheme.

"The members of this council can take enormous credit for the apparent turn-around in the fortunes of this project," he said. "This is an example of the council showing real vision on a major strategic issue."

He said members had "put their money where their mouths were" by authorising £1.5m to the project when major funding from elsewhere had not yet been promised. He added that this commitment had had a major impact on the larger funding bodies and he said the council could take full credit for enabling the project to move on.

Coun Shine said that after the first phase, the physical work could start as early as 2007, but there was still a lot to be done. He said: "There is an enormous amount of work still to do but we can look forward with confidence to the realisation of our vision, knowing that we have the support of our major regional funding authorities."

Richard Pealing, Rural Regeneration Cumbria's policy and planning manager, also welcomed the move and said he was hopeful that the cash would be fully approved.

"The project is moving forward positively and this is another major hurdle cleared, he said. "I'm cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get the funding together for this first phase."

l THE Lancaster Canal Trust has organised a public meeting at Sedgwick Village Hall, next Wednesday (September 29), starting at 7.30pm, at which the canal's restoration manager Martin Clarke will speak about the past, present and future of the waterway.