APPENDIX 2
TIPTON GAUGING
STATION
Section 22 of the 1995 British Waterways Act
requires British Waterways (BW) to have regard to the desirability
of protection and conserving buildings of architectural, engineering
or historic interest and to take into account any effect on the
amenity of an urban area and its buildings. Since the passing
of the Act be has failed to carry out these duties on many occasions,
often citing lack of funding as the reason.
A recent example of this has been the disposal,
via a 150-year lease, of Tipton Gauging Station as part of a much
larger mostly vacant site as a development opportunity. BW used
an agent to do this and they did not disclose that they ere acting
on behalf of BW and consequently it was overlooked by waterway
businesses who may have had an interest in developing it for their
trades.
The building is unique, being the only twin
dock gauging station built and is thus of considerable historic
importance. It is grade 2 listed and was built as late as 1873
for the BCN Co following pressure by trades who, as a result of
increasing railway competition sought a much fairer system of
toll charging to the previous "longweight" system then
used for sending coal by boat. This resulted in the BCN Co deciding
to gauge all the boats operating on their extensive network and
create gauging tables to verify the loading of all boats and lead
to the construction of the building. This sequence of events adds
to the uniqueness of the building making it a candidate for a
higher-grade listing. It certainly deserves a better future having
survived this long vitally intact.
Following the last docking in 1961 it was used
for around 40 years until 2003 by an Electro Plating business
who, by the nature of this business, contaminated the land and
we not forced by BW, who preferred to take the rent and keep at
arms length, to clear it up and/or maintain the building.
Upon finally in directly learning of its availability,
well after the building had been disposed of, Dudley Canal Trust,
the largest commercial boat operator in the area, felt the it
was an ideal place to maintain their boats, especially in light
of the tightening requirements for commercial operators. Unfortunately
it had been disposed of without any consultation with the users
and thus their knowledge.
Postscript:
Dudley Canal Trust and Inland Waterways Association
have successfully objected to a planning application for the site.
On 26 April 2007, following a site visit, Sandwell Council rejected
a planning application and have made the proviso that future applications
must ensure that the structure has a waterways use.
Parliamentary Waterways Group
April 2007
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