£3m plans to transform River Soar in Leicestershire

Water buses to take fans to football matches, a boat race, riverside restaurants and a floating market are all part of £3m plans to transform the River Soar.

A 23-mile stretch between Loughborough and Kilby Bridge is set to be transformed into a bustling hive of activity within a decade.

The plans were unveiled yesterday following a £100,000 inquiry into how best to develop the county's canals.

Roger Wilson, chairman of Leicestershire County Council, said: "The most exciting aspect of all this is opening up the waterways to people.

"Our waterways are a fantastic resource, rich in wildlife, history and leisure opportunities."

Mini masterplans will be drawn up for seven key points, including the city centre, Aylestone and Barrow-upon-Soar.

At Loughborough, there are plans for waterside festivals.

In the city, water taxis and boat trips could take fans to the Walkers Stadium and the Tigers ground, on Welford Road.

Other plans include a £1m visitor centre at Watermead Park, canalside picnic areas, in South Wigston, and a white-water canoe centre, in Aylestone.

Ross Willmott, leader of Leicester City Council, said: "Both the river and the canal are of huge significance to the city and they are yet to be exploited to their full potential.

"This strategy is fantastic and I want to see much greater access for everyone."

The Waterways Trust and British Waterways hope to raise cash, alongside the county, city, Charnwood, Oadby and Wigston and Blaby councils.

The scheme should be completed by 2020.

In Rally Park, off Tudor Road in Leicester's West End, Joanne Symmonds 42, of Woodgate, said: "I walk round here all the time. Putting money into this seems a good idea."

Jordan Mortimer, 23, said: "Anything that improves the canal is a good thing."

Roger Hanbury, chief executive of the Waterways Trust, and chairman of the River Soar and Grand Union Canal Strategy Group, said: "Waterways offer great places to live, work and play and provide many possibilities for enriching lives."

A spokesman for British Waterways said a "ball park" figure for the scheme would be £3m, including the visitor centre.

The Key Points: The seven planned areas for development

Key areas along the 23-mile stretch of canal and river to be transformed are:

Kilby Bridge: Developed as a tourist attraction and for boat hire; centre for canoe club in Glen Parva and picnic area at Crow Mills, South Wigston

Aylestone: Potential for white-water canoe park and hydro-electric generation at St Mary's Wharf, public art alongside the canal, boating and cycle hire centre

Leicester: Improved secure boating facilities, including short-stay City Wharf to encourage people to hire boats, looking into waterbuses which could be used to transport fans to Walkers Stadium and Tigers ground or run between key points along the river. Work has started on creating more than 3,000 homes, with restaurants, workspaces and leisure facilities.

Abbey Meadows: Micro-hydro-electric generation at weirs, looking at opening a marina at Redhill roundabout, opening of up the footpaths and towpaths to encourage more people to use the canal.

Watermead Park: Visitor centre to tell the story of the canals, installation of more public art, marina on Syston's Raynesway site with hotel and conference centres and introduction of a waterway festival.

Barrow-upon-Soar: Improved links between Barrow and Mountsorrel and opening of a cycleway on or next to the canal.

Loughborough: Riverside homes and businesses are planned for Windmill Road, canal to be linked to the university and use of the canal as a selling point to tourists brought to the town as it hosts the Japanese team during the 2012 London Olympics.