T he Cotswold Canals Connected project by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust/Stroud District Council, running from 2021 to 2025, represents an ambitious initiative to restore and revitalise the canal connection between Stroud and the national canal network at Saul Junction. The engineering and restoration work of the canal has been undertaken in tandem with a range of ecological mitigation and enhancement measures, including heritage considerations and community engagement.  We have recently assessed the Cotswold Canals Connected project under the Building with Nature Standards: Core, Well being, Water and Wildlife. The scheme has been assessed to pass all standards and thus demonstrates delivery of high quality green and blue infrastructure.