Current Position: March 2008

We have the following:

Planning permission for the core of the route

Granted 8th May 2008, this covers the core of the route, carrying the path the length of Linear Park, through the tunnels, and across Tucking Mill Viaduct. The two Linear Park bridges will be the subjects of separate planning applications.
Its reference number: 07/00434/FUL.
View its documentation by feeding that reference into the authority's planning search form - here's a direct link to the project's mapping (Large PDF file).

Substantial funding.

A result of hard work from Sustrans who included the path in their successful Connect2 lottery bid.

A funding gap.

We continue to pursue grants from various sources to ensure that the route's financing is in place. You can help with this, especially if you can influence an institutional donation from a company, local or otherwise. The site home page carries a list of 'Big ticket' items.

Commitment from the local authority

Bath and North East Somerset Council, at an early stage, provided £5000 funds to kick start the planning process for the path, and they've now committed £100000 a year for four years as a match funding contribution for the lottery grant. Here's a list of councillors in support. Being a big organisation, we're aware that enthusiasm for our project and knowledge of the potential gains needs to propagate widely through our local authority, and we're working to ensure that knowledge of the project's qualities, benefits and public support is spread to all parts of the local authority.

A support group

You've provided great feedback on both why and how much you'd value this path.

A core committee drawn from the support group

Each member of the committee has brought enthusiasm, skills and productivity to this idea.

We do not yet have

All match funding to meet the potential Connect2 money

See 'Funding gap' above. Planning permission and the Connect2 money improves possiblities that the route qualifies for grant money from various other sources, and both Sustrans and the local authority are working to identify these. The Two Tunnels project has now attracted a substantial donation from a private charitable trust, and another from a heritage source.

In the previous decade, the valued but somewhat functionless Midford Aqueduct received over £800000. We're confident that a heritage project which also addresses many other social and health needs, and which in part reclaims derelict land and underused assets merits similar funding - and people will of course be able to use the path to view Midford Aqueduct!

This project is increasingly secure, but we still have that 'Do not yet have'. You can help:

1. If your councillor isn't on the list of supporters, write to them and persuade them to support us - the project may simply not have registered with them, and they may be happy to receive a positive approach about a valued project. This has the potential to bring two million pounds of grant money to the local area.
2. If you can bring us funding for one or more of our engineering challenges, get in touch. The majority of the money is in place, but we need to fill the funding gap.

Mark Annand