Memorandum submitted by Heritage Lottery
Fund
1. THE ROLE
OF THE
HERITAGE LOTTERY
FUND
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) distributes
money from the National lottery to heritage projects across the
United Kingdom. HLF has committed over £4 billion to more
than 26,000 heritage projects across the UK since 1995. Our primary
aim in distributing this funding are:
— to encourage more people to be in
involved in and make decisions about their heritage;
— to conserve and enhance UK's diverse
heritage; and
— to ensure that everyone can learn
about, have access to and enjoy their heritage.
A further aim is to:
— bring about a more equitable spread
of our grants across the UK.
In our policy directions Government have asked
us to address regeneration, including:
— the scope for reducing economic and
social deprivation; at the same time as creating heritage benefits.
2. COTSWOLD CANALS
In January 2006 the Heritage Lottery Fund Board
approved an award of £11,924,000 (total costs £27,641,254)
to the restoration of the Cotswold Canals, with British Waterways
as the grantee.
Approved Purposes
The project aims to excavate and restore a 9.5km
section of the Cotswold Canals from The Ocean at Stonehouse to
Brimscombe Port, east of Stroud and create a 6km walking trail
on through to Saul junction. The projects benefits were described
as follows:
— Length of waterway restored: 9.5km
— Listed structures to be restored:
4
— Heritage features to be restored:
30
— Numbers of locks restored/constructed:
12
— Bridges repaired/improved: 27
— Length of trail safeguarded/upgraded:
9.5km
— Residents within 1 mile of restored
length: 48,549
— Additional towpath recreation visits
pa: 215,180
The reinstatement and restoration of the historic
Canals and their operational structures will be undertaken using
carefully considered conservation techniques and appropriate materials.
The outcomes are expected to be the re-opening of the Canals to
boat navigation and towpath-based users (anglers, walkers, cyclists,
etc), along with substantial biodiversity enhancement, greater
community appreciation and understanding and access of the Canals,
through co-ordinated interpretation, participation and education
initiatives as well as training in conservation and other skills
for local people, volunteers and contractors.
Project Progress
The grant contract was concluded in June 2007,
which included Stroud District Council as contractually engaged
in the project. Work on site began in October 2007. Work undertaken
to date includes major excavation and reinstatement of the line
of the canal adjacent to Oil Mills Bridge. Work has begun on rebuilding
the bridge (demolished 1973), using some of the existing brickwork
but with a new bridge deck. There have also been a considerable
number of "activity" works, including volunteer working
days and training.
On 4 February 2008 HLF learned that British
Waterways had decided to withdraw from the project, due to funding
pressures elsewhere; the breach in the Monmouth-Brecon canal had
priority for funding over the Cotswold Canals project.
The consequences of this withdrawal are being
discussed by the remaining partners, who are consulting all the
key funding bodies. No decision about the future of the project
has yet been made by HLF and HLF is awaiting a formal submission
from Stroud District Council.
Heritage Lottery Fund
March 2008
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