INVESTIGATION work has begun in preparation for a near £15 million makeover of Northwich's iconic waterways landmark.

The Canal & River Trust (C&RT) is hoping to undertake a much-needed refurbishment of the Anderton Boat Lift in autumn 2025, just after its 150th anniversary celebrations next July.

The lift, which dates back to 1875, was last fully refurbished at the turn of the millennium, but it now needs a major upgrade to keep it operational.

Now the nation's canal charity has appointed specialist engineering firm JN Bentley to assist with preparatory investigations in the first phase of works.

Jason Leach, head of external programme delivery at C&RT, emphasised the importance of the project.

He said: "Anderton Boat Lift is an iconic symbol of our industrial heritage and it’s amazing that it is still in use today, providing a vital link for boaters between the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal.

"With such a rich history, it has an important role to play in telling the story of our canals to visitors.

"We are committed to preserving Anderton Boat Lift for navigation and to inspire future generations.

"The investigatory work that will be carried out by JN Bentley is the first step in upgrading the boat lift and its surrounding environments.

"This will not only make it more resilient and keep it available to boaters, but the transformation of the grounds and visitor centre will mean more people of all ages can see, hear, and experience this special place and learn about why it’s so vital to keep the boat lift – and our canal network – alive.”

This first phase of work includes investigations and surveys around the lift grounds, inspections of the lift, confirming design elements and high priority repairs.

These will all inform the main improvement and refurbishment phase which the trust hopes to begin in autumn next year.

Refurbishment works are expected to last 12 to 18 months, with the total estimated cost between £13.5 and £15 million.

Andrew Holt, operations manager from JN Bentley, said: "We are pleased to be working with the Canal & River Trust to deliver this important engineering project on the historic Anderton Boat Lift.

"We’ll bring our 50-plus years of experience to the project to deliver the improvements the structure deserves.

"We recognise the importance of the boat lift to boaters, the local community, and the heritage of our waterways as a whole, and look forward to collaborating with Canal & River Trust to deliver the project over the coming months."

Also included in the project are plans to upgrade the visitor centre to include a new flexible event space, which will replace the large marquee, plus the development of a new learning, skills and outreach programme.

This will enable more visitors to enjoy the unique attraction and delve deeper into the site’s fascinating history.

The trust has developed an externally funded programme – the Engineering The Future project – to revitalise the Anderton Boat Lift and Visitor Centre, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In December 2022 the C&RT was awarded a £574,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support the development phase of this major project. An application for stage two funding will be submitted in the spring of 2025.

In the meantime, the C&RT is actively seeking further grant funding and support from other trusts and foundations, corporates and philanthropists, as well as appropriate statutory and government grants, to further aid the project.