Do you have a favourite spot along the canal that needs protecting? Or an idea for a canalside event?

Now is the time to speak up as residents have six more weeks to comment on plans for the waterway's future.

Stroud District Council has extended the community consultation phase of its draft canals strategy to May 27.

It sets out how the council, its partners, communities, and landowners can make better use of our canals for culture, recreation, leisure, to support the local economy and enhance the environment and local wildlife.

The canals include the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, running from Hardwicke in the north of the District to Sharpness in the south and the two Cotswold Canals, from Saul Junction in the west to Chalford in the east.

The draft strategy sets out initiatives to improve 14 canal areas in the short, medium, and long term. They include suggested community uses and activities, ideas for improving travel and movement along the canals, projects for wildlife enhancement and for people to connect with nature.

Councillor Doina Cornell, Stroud District Council leader, said: "We are aware that the draft canals strategy is an extensive piece of work and contains a number of documents that need to be read in order to put it into context.

"In order to get the maximum number of community responses we have agreed to extend the deadline so we can take account of as many views as possible on how we build and shape the canal corridor for the future.

"Supporting a thriving and resilient local economy and environment is a key part of the Council Plan, and the canal strategy has an important role to play in promoting prosperity, our health and wellbeing, and bringing visitors to the district's waterways."

The strategy will complement and support longer-term schemes relating to the National Heritage Lottery funded restoration project that is unlocking a lost section of the Cotswold canals corridor between Saul Junction and Eastington.

It will also provide the platform to make effective future funding bids to Government and other funding bodies.

Read the draft strategy and comment by visiting stroud.gov.uk/canalstrategy 

Copies are also available at libraries in the district and town and parish council offices that are open to the public.