Canals
Berths available
Hockley Port
Birmingham, West Midlands · Birmingham Canal, Soho Branch
Prices not published
Canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards in the West Midlands
Marinas, basins and linear towpath moorings on the canal network: mostly narrowboats and widebeams, priced per foot or metre a year, with a navigation licence on top. Moorings where the site says you can live on board, outright or by arrangement. Residential moorings often need planning consent and pay council tax; we show the terms as each site states them.
19 sites · 3 with space now · 2 with a waiting list · typical £3,914 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£3,243–£4,460 across 4 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 19 sites, all on canals.
- 3 of the 19 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Hockley Port, Ladybird Pontoon and Whixall Marina.
- Keeping a waiting list: Saltisford Canal Centre and Sutton Stop Marina.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £3,243 a year (Springwood Haven Marina) to £4,460 a year (Alvechurch Marina); the middle of 4 is £3,914 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 21.3m (70ft) at Alvechurch Marina.
- Of the 19, 16 have electric hook-up, 9 a pump-out, 7 diesel and 2 visitor berths.
- Groups running more than one: ABC Leisure Group (4), Aquavista (2) and Canal & River Trust (7).
Canals
Berths available
Ladybird Pontoon
Market Drayton, Shropshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Berths available
Whixall Marina
Whixall, Shropshire · Llangollen Canal (Prees Branch)
Prices on request
Canals
Waiting list
Saltisford Canal Centre
Warwick, Warwickshire · Grand Union Canal (Saltisford Arm)
Prices not published
Canals
Waiting list
Sutton Stop Marina
Coventry, Warwickshire · Coventry Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Cambrian Residential Moorings
Birmingham, West Midlands · Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Engine Arm Residential Moorings
Smethwick, West Midlands · Birmingham Canal Navigations
Prices on request
Canals
Full
Nodens Victoria Wharf
Market Drayton, Shropshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Shelmore
Norbury, Staffordshire · Shropshire Union Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Silver Street (Residential) L1
Brownhills, West Midlands · Wyrley & Essington Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Full
Sneyd Wharf (Electric) L1
Bloxwich, West Midlands · Wyrley & Essington Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Alvechurch Marina
Alvechurch, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£4,460 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Blackwater Meadow Marina
Ellesmere, Shropshire · Llangollen Canal
£4,158 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Kings Orchard Marina
Huddlesford, Staffordshire · Coventry Canal
£3,671 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Springwood Haven Marina
Nuneaton, Warwickshire · Coventry Canal
£3,243 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Ashwood Marina
Kingswinford, Staffordshire · Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Barton Marina
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Brinklow Waterside & Marina
Brinklow, Warwickshire · Oxford Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina
Napton on the Hill, Southam, Warwickshire · Oxford Canal and Grand Union Canal
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Liveaboard | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockley Port | Birmingham, Birmingham Canal, Soho Branch | – | Residential moorings with planning consent | Berths available |
| Ladybird Pontoon | Market Drayton, Shropshire Union Canal | On request | Liveaboard by arrangement | Berths available |
| Whixall Marina | Whixall, Llangollen Canal (Prees Branch) | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Berths available |
| Saltisford Canal Centre | Warwick, Grand Union Canal (Saltisford Arm) | – | Liveaboard by arrangement | Waiting list |
| Sutton Stop Marina | Coventry, Coventry Canal | – | Liveaboards allowed | Waiting list |
| Cambrian Residential Moorings | Birmingham, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal | – | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Engine Arm Residential Moorings | Smethwick, Birmingham Canal Navigations | On request | Liveaboard by arrangement | Full |
| Nodens Victoria Wharf | Market Drayton, Shropshire Union Canal | – | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Shelmore | Norbury, Shropshire Union Canal | – | Liveaboard by arrangement | Full |
| Silver Street (Residential) L1 | Brownhills, Wyrley & Essington Canal | – | Liveaboards allowed | Full |
| Sneyd Wharf (Electric) L1 | Bloxwich, Wyrley & Essington Canal | – | Residential moorings with planning consent | Full |
| Alvechurch Marina | Alvechurch, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £4,460 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Blackwater Meadow Marina | Ellesmere, Llangollen Canal | £4,158 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Kings Orchard Marina | Huddlesford, Coventry Canal | £3,671 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Springwood Haven Marina | Nuneaton, Coventry Canal | £3,243 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Ashwood Marina | Kingswinford, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal | – | Liveaboard by arrangement | Not reported |
| Barton Marina | Burton upon Trent, Trent & Mersey Canal | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Brinklow Waterside & Marina | Brinklow, Oxford Canal | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Not reported |
| Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina | Napton on the Hill, Southam, Oxford Canal and Grand Union Canal | On request | Liveaboards allowed | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
How much does a mooring for a 57ft narrowboat cost in the West Midlands?
Across the 4 canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £3,243 a year at Springwood Haven Marina to £4,460 a year at Alvechurch Marina. The middle figure is £3,914 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards in the West Midlands?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Springwood Haven Marina is cheapest at £3,243 a year in Nuneaton.
Which canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards in the West Midlands have space now?
3 of the 19 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Hockley Port, Ladybird Pontoon and Whixall Marina. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Can you live aboard at canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards in the West Midlands?
All 19 say you can: Hockley Port (residential moorings with planning consent), Ladybird Pontoon (liveaboard by arrangement), Whixall Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Saltisford Canal Centre (liveaboard by arrangement), Sutton Stop Marina (liveaboards allowed), Cambrian Residential Moorings (residential moorings with planning consent), Engine Arm Residential Moorings (liveaboard by arrangement), Nodens Victoria Wharf (residential moorings with planning consent) and 11 more. Living aboard can need planning consent and council tax; ask each site about its terms.
Do I need a licence as well as a mooring?
On top of the mooring fee: of these, 18 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence and 1 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Canal moorings and marinas that allow liveaboards in other areas
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