I have visited the site and identified 3 potential areas which would be good areas for me to have my bridge. The first is behind the retail park on the South side and opposite the tyre shop in the North side.
Approximate location for site 1
The site links to the back of the retail park through a large metal gate with security warnings on it which makes it look very unfriendly. It has an open space which could be used as a nesting space. On the North side it links to a car park which then leads to the footpath of the street. From the street you can see the site on the other side of the canal but not the water because of a wall; people may not know that the canal is there if they can't see it. The trees which surround the site on the South make it seem dark however they frame the view well.
My next potential site is a little bit further west, but still next to the retail park; however, this site has a proper path which links it to the back of some of the buildings. Although there is a path it doesn't look very safe or welcoming as it is dark and surrounded by trees. On the North it faces a patch of overgrown land with an existing brick building on it. This then leads to the footpath of the street. Behind it there is a modern housing development. The overgrown area would be an ideal space to draw people in from the street as it is not too intrusive by encroaching on the path but it is close enough for people to notice it and want to explore it.
The third site I have looked at it just East of the marina on the South of the canal. It has an existing path on it which looks very new, but doesn't look very used; there are not many people using the canal and so it gives the impression that it isn't safe but if more people used the path the canal would seem safer. Hopefully my bridge will attract more people. There is a large grassed area next to the path, in front of a block of flats which back onto the canal. On the South my bridge would directly link to the path on the street as it is adjacent to the waters edge. This means that people would see and have easy access to the bridge and may be more likely to use it.