Editing Wilts & Berks Canal (section)

==Restoration issues==
There is some controversy about the restoration of the canal, in particular the felling of trees and the corresponding short-term disruption of wildlife habitats that have evolved in the 100 or so years since the canal was abandoned, and this has been addressed in the North Wiltshire Local Plan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/media/8156/North-Wiltshire-Local-Plan-2011-Written-text/pdf/North_Wiltshire_Local_Plan_2011_-_Written_text.pdf?m=1641169246183 |title=North Wiltshire Local Plan 2011. Written Statement June 2006 |publisher=Wiltshire County Council |access-date=9 October 2023}}</ref> For the Melksham link, planning documents indicate that there will be a net gain in habitat, including standing water, marginal wetland habitat and the planting of new lengths of hedgerow. Where trees have to be removed, new trees will be planted to replace them.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.canalpartnership.org.uk/files/melklinkplanning/es%20ver%201.6lr.pdf |url-status= |title=Environmental Statement in support of an Application for Planning Permission |publisher=Wiltshire Council for Canal Partnership |date=1 August 2012 |first=Ken |last=Oliver}}</ref>

Objections to a canal route through Swindon town centre prior to 2010 were believed to arise from a misconception that canals contained "stagnant water". However canals are permanently moving water slowly downstream, and are thus not stagnant. The passage of boats keeps the water stirred up making it muddy-looking, but this is required to prevent the growth of weeds. In January 2008 Swindon Council considered a report, prepared by their consultants, on the feasibility and implications of restoring the town centre route. They endorsed the proposal, and set up a task group to make further progress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ww2.swindon.gov.uk/moderngov/ieDecisionDetails.asp?ID=639&J=1 |publisher=Swindon Borough Council |title=Canal Feasibility Study – Review |access-date=19 December 2008}} {{dead link |date=January 2023}}</ref>

There was concern in south Oxfordshire about the risk of flooding, and it can be argued that the canal will act as a drainage system, helping to take excess water and move it away to the Thames. The [[Environment Agency]] expressed concerns about the proposed route of the canal at Melksham, and its effect on the floodplain, and there were calls from local landowners to ensure that a town-centre route was re-established.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.salisburyjournal.co.uk/2002/4/5/191719.html |newspaper=Swindon Advertiser |date=5 April 2002 |title=Landowners back town route for canal |access-date=19 December 2008}} {{dead link |date=January 2023}}</ref>