River Sherbourne project nears completion

Work to reveal parts of the River Sherbourne in Coventry city centre is nearing completion.

The £2.6m Palmer Lane project started in March 2024 and involves uncovering a section of the mostly underground River Sherbourne to create a new public green space in the city.

The aim of the project was to transform a previously forgotten area by creating an open water course with new landscaping and lighting. It is the only part of the city where the river is visible, and the plan includes steps leading down to the water and public seating areas.

Jordan Davis from the Sherbourne Valley Project said the project really highlights the existence of the river within the city centre.

It was not just a construction project but am opportunity for residents to find out more about the river and its history, he said.

"It is said that Coventry's very existence, going as far back as 700 AD, is because of the River Sherborne. It's Coventry's foundational river.

"People came and settled in Coventry because of the river itself. Coventry owes a lot of its industrial history to the river, loads of working mills, a lot of the sort of cloth dyeing which is obviously the composition of the river itself. That's where we got Coventry Blue from."

The project is a collaboration between Coventry City Council, Historic Coventry Trust, Severn Trent Water, and the Environment Agency.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.