Memorandum submitted by Islington Council
I refer to your announcement dated 22 February
inviting comments in respect British Waterways restoration and
regeneration role.
I am the chief planning officer at the London
Borough of Islington, where I have been employed for 11 years.
I initially joined Islington as Chief Planner (Control) and was
responsible for development control matters.
A section of the Regent's canal is located in
Islington, including two water basins—City Road Basin and
Battlebridge Basin—and I have substantial experience of
working with British Waterways in relation to a number of key
waterside development projects. Most notably these include the
production of the award winning masterplan for the regeneration
of City Road Basin, major development schemes at Battlebridge
Basin and the Packington Estate (a comprehensive estate redevelopment)
and towpath improvement projects.
In particular I would cite the masterplan produced
for City Road basin as an excellent example of British Waterways
commitment to the regeneration of key sites adjoining the canal
network. Formerly an industrial location, sites around the basin
are in various ownerships and are widely recognised as being ripe
for development. Discussions with these owners and British Waterways
led to the common recognition that a masterplan approach would
be most effective in envisioning a comprehensive mixed use development
that would open up the basin area to the public, provide much
needed housing and commercial floorspace and provide the opportunity
to relocate Islington Boatclub to modern purpose built premises[1].
The production of the masterplan was a collaborative
enterprise that has paved the way for a series of planning permissions
for sites around the basin. Additionally, the project has been
awarded £2 million by the DCLG as part of the Government's
growth area fund (GAF) initiative as a contribution to the creation
of a new civic space at the head of the basin.
Islington's experience of working with British
Waterways has demonstrated a clear commitment on their part to
achieving regeneration of key canalside sites and partnership
working and I would ask that the Select Committee encourages British
Waterways to continue with this good work.
Graham Loveland
Assistant Director of Planning
Islington Council
March 2008
1 Islington Boatclub is a local charity that works
with disadvantaged school children and is recognised as one of
the boroughs most successful youth projects. The masterplan secures
new premises for the charity that will enable them to improve
on their current community offer and provide them with future
security. Back
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