Pontcysyllte Aqueduct footpath improvement plans submitted

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Trevor, built by canal engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop, attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year.

However, its popularity is reported to have caused problems, with facilities surrounding the 126-foot-high structure said to be no longer fit for purpose.

An application has now been submitted by the Canal and River Trust to improve a public footpath below the aqueduct by realigning it and to create new steps and handrails.

As well as improving accessibility, agents acting for the trust said it would help to enhance views for visitors to the UNESCO-recognised landmark.

In a planning statement entered with Wrexham Council. they said: “The proposed development seeks to enhance the visitor experience at the World Heritage Site (WHS) by addressing current challenges related to irregular and inconsistent steps, restricted views, and weak links to surrounding pathways.

“It would encourage outdoor recreation by improving the experience of walking around the area, thereby promoting healthy lifestyles.

“The proposed development would respect and enhance the setting of the WHS.

“It accords closely with the proposed use of the site in the Trevor Basin Masterplan for a walkway that helps to enhance the visitor experience, giving visitors another view of the aqueduct itself.”

They added: “The proposed step alignment is further from the aqueduct at key points where it is currently very close.

“This would help to protect the structure from further erosion and damage caused by the close proximity of footpath users to it.”

The submission of the application follows the recent approval of a new visitor car park serving the aqueduct with 195 spaces.

It will also include coach bays and be located on the site of the former Flexys rubber chemical factory in Cefn Mawr.

The latest proposals to improve footpaths at the aqueduct will be decided by the local authority at a later date.