Memorandum submitted by Sandwell Council
(BW 98)
WATERWAYS IN
SANDWELL
1. There are 31.32 miles of canals in Sandwell
which pass through some of the most deprived parts of the Borough.
The improvement of the waterways here and the opportunity provided
for the redevelopment of areas alongside the canals are therefore
critical parts of the regeneration of the Borough.
2. This canalside regeneration aims to exploit
the canal network to increase participation in sport, which is
low in Sandwell, as a means of addressing poor health and rising
obesity.
3. There are also opportunities to use the
maintenance of the canal network, its heritage, and activities
on it to provide volunteering and training outputs. The majority
of the canal network in Sandwell is designated as "wildlife
corridors" as they provide comparatively rich habitats within
the dense urban Borough.
4. British Waterways and the Council have
already co-operated on two large lottery schemes to achieve the
improvement of the canals themselves—Canals for Communities
in 2000 and Smethwick summit in 2003. The former was completed
in 2002 and the latter is to be completed this year. The completion
of Smethwick Summit has been delayed in part due to the reduction
in staff at BW.
5. We are also seeking to submit major bids
that impact on the canals. Firstly, working with the Black Country
Consortium, we are seeking to make a BIG lottery submission this
summer for Peoples Millions: Living Landscapes, which if successful
would draw down £50m from BIG Lottery and £12m from
Advantage West Midlands. Secondly an HLF and AWM submission for
£15m is being prepared for Soho Foundry which lies alongside
the New main Line Canal in Smethwick. These two bids have both
been adversely affected by the limited resources of British Waterways
to assist the bids.
6. Both the Black Country Strategy and the
Council's Unitary development Plan refer to the possibility of
the BCN being submitted as a World Heritage Site. This has not
yet developed as it should due to lack of staff resources in both
Councils and BW.
7. There are numerous redevelopment schemes
alongside the canals with which the Council is currently involved,
which would be improved with greater BW involvement than is currently
available. One of the largest is Smethwick Canalside which could
provide 6oo new homes. Such schemes have the possibility of delivering
S106 monies to provide for example, greater accessibility to the
waterways.
8. A high standard of maintenance of the
waterway is important to deliver the regenerative effects described
above. BW need the funds to not only keep the canal dredged appropriately
but also to keep towpath and adjoining spaces in BW ownership
clear of litter, graffiti and dog fouling. A high standard of
maintenance was not always achieved in this Borough before the
cuts, and the Council is concerned by the impact on cuts on such
standards in the future.
Sandwell Council
April 2007
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