Droitwich Health Corridor

The Health Corridor is a project that aims to make it easier for residents to access the canal by improving the towpath, installing accessible benches and directional signage. It runs from Droitwich Spa Rugby Club to Ladywood Lock in Salwarpe. It is a partnership project between Wychavon, The Canal & River Trust and Droitwich Spa Place Board.

The towpath improvements begin just after Vines Park and finish at Ladywood Lock in Salwarpe.

The path is being completely reconstructed with a new sub-base and edging boards to help maintain its structure. It will be resurfaced with compacted grey limestone to give it a high-quality, natural finish.

Currently, the path is a mixture of uneven sand, silt, and stone, making it inaccessible for many residents, particularly during winter. Once completed, the new path will create an easily accessible route, providing increased access to key attractions and nature, including the recently improved Coney Meadow wetland and reed bed reserve.

It is estimated works will be completed by towards the end of October 2025. Work is being done in sections, so only some of the path will be closed at any time. Warning notices are in place along the route.

The canal towpath is very narrow which makes the logistics of moving materials more complicated and time consuming. We hope to be able to reopen certain sections of the tow path once works are completed.

In the winter, there is a health and safety risk associated with transporting materials with mechanical plant along the narrow canal bank in wet and unstable ground conditions. In addition to this, carrying out the work during better weather means the improvements can be delivered quicker.

We will soon be exploring improving interpretation at Coney Meadow.

In February, The Canal & River Trust transformed the Coney Meadow nature reserve with funding from Wychavon’s share of the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The meadow is home to several species including Grasshopper Warblers, Cuckoos and Sedge Warblers, who use the site for feeding and breeding. Its flower-rich grasslands are also home to many difference insects which play a crucial role in sustaining the meadow’s food chain.

But the lack of open water on the site and the threat of shrubs and bushes overgrowing other habitat, could have transformed the reed beds into wet woodlands, rendering them unsuitable for these specialist species. The restoration project has protected meadow’s eco-system by creating ponds and enhancing the site’s water-holding capacity through diversion and retention of surface water from the canal.

Areas of the main reed bed have been cut to enhance open water habitat and water edge environments and promote healthy new reed growth. The work will ensure the site continues to be a rich haven for wildlife and contributes to carbon capture.

The initial proposal included suggestions for new mooring, solar lighting and a bike scheme along the canal. These aren’t included in the project as detailed investigations resulted in concerns about ongoing maintenance issues and constraints caused by the width of the path.

Wychavon is continuing to explore with the charity Canal & River Trust, the possibility of installing a kayak launch along the route.

The new path will be a maximum of 1.5M wide so fauna will remain alongside it. The hedgerow was cut back outside of the bird nesting period to minimise impact on wildlife and facilitate the new path.

Earlier this year, we completed biodiversity enhancements at Coney Meadow nature reserve to offset cutting back the hedgerow.

Wychavon is funding the works as part of a multi-million-pound investment in leisure and wellbeing in the town, including upgrading Droitwich Spa Lido and Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre.