Memorandum submitted by Wyre Forest District
Council
1. EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
British Waterways and Wyre Forest District Council
have been working in partnership on restoration and regeneration
projects in Stourport-on-Severn, a strategically important basins
area in the West Midlands Waterways region. Together the two share
the same objectives of creating economic benefit and sustainable
communities by achieving regeneration through restoration.
The implementation of a £3 million heritage
Lottery Fund Scheme in the basins area has helped stimulate private
sector investment in residential and commercial development and
is the mainstay for partnership work involving the District Council,
the Regional Development Agency (Advantage West Midlands) and
English Heritage. The District Council acknowledges the unfortunate
withdrawal by British Waterways from the Cotswold Canal Partnership
but nevertheless does not wish that to undermine the reputation
of British Waterways as an important public sector partnership
in delivering regeneration.
2. Wyre Forest District Council and British
Waterways have a valuable and productive partnership centred on
regeneration and restoration which both bodies believe to be at
the heart of creating sustainable communities within our district.
3. The Council has always found British
Waterways to be a responsible and supportive partner. We undertake
regular liaison meetings and Councillors receive an annual presentation
from British Waterways on partnership progress throughout the
year.
4. Specifically I would like to draw your
attention to the work that British Waterways has been carrying
out in Stourport-on-Severn. The canal basins lie in the heart
of Stourport-on-Severn, a market town whose existence relied upon
the proximity of the canal system to the River Severn.
5. For the last three years British Waterways
have been implementing a £3 million Basins Restoration Project
through the Heritage Lottery Fund. In conjunction British Waterways
have been working closely with Stourport Forward, the body acting
under the Market Towns Initiative within the Rural Regeneration
Zone supported by Advantage West Midlands (AWM), the Regional
Development Agency.
6. Whilst this restoration work in itself
is vitally important in the heritage context of the site, it has
acted as a builder of confidence for private investment in Stourport
and a catalyst for other regeneration projects.
7. The former Tontine Hotel, a Listed Building,
which lies at the centre of the basins was vacant for a number
of years, has now been purchased and is being converted to residential
units by a private developer. The former Lichfield Basin has been
opened up as an active basin again, having previously been filled
in and used for industrial purposes and work commenced on 100+
canalside residential units adjacent, again by a private developer.
On adjacent land the Council's Planning (Development Control)
Committee, at their meeting on 4th March 2008, granted planning
permission for a 40,000ft2 Tesco store which significantly delivers
a new road into Stourport over the River Stour.
8. I have no doubt that the work British
Waterways are undertaking has helped boost the confidence of these
separate developments.
9. For the Council's part, we are investing
in the refurbishment of Bridge Street, behind which the basins
lie, with work to commence in the next couple of weeks. Further,
we have entered into a Partnership Scheme in Conservation Areas
3 year project with English Heritage to grant fund private sector
improvements to buildings in the conservation area within Stourport,
again based on that confidence generated and work by British Waterways.
10. Perhaps most importantly, however, is
the exciting project between British Waterways, AWM and the District
Council to bring about the crucial pedestrian linkage between
the heart of Stourport and the basins, through the redevelopment
of land identified in the adopted Local Plan. British Waterways
and AWM have evidenced, through studies undertaken by Pieda and
latterly GHK, that the basins area is an underused tourism feature
that has greater potential than it currently shows, the reason
being that it is tucked away behind the main road into Stourport
(Bridge Street). Together the partners are funding the compulsory
purchase of land to facilitate redevelopment of the site to create
a gateway opening into the basins, as well as commercial and residential
development of the site at this run down end of the town. This
is highly significant for the town and for the partners involved.
11. The Council is sorry to hear of British
Waterway's decision to withdraw from the Cotswold Canal Partnership
but we would be even more concerned if this threatened the future
investment in British Waterways' waterway regeneration programme
and, therefore, their ability to continue to work in partnership
with public bodies such as ourselves. As a public sector partner,
British Waterways are essential to achieving canalside restoration
and I trust that what has been set out briefly above is of assistance
to your Committee in persuading you of the value of British Waterway's
regeneration and restoration role that we have experienced at
Wyre Forest.
Wyre Forest District Council
March 2008
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