Memorandum submitted by Black Country
Consortium Ltd
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. The Black Country is a distinctive major
urban sub region with a population of almost 1.1 million characterised
by urban development, industrial heritage and an intensive canal
network. For this reason, the Black Country Authorities have had
a long tradition of close and effective working with British Waterways.
2. The Black Country Consortium has recently
prepared a new 30 Year Plan to respond to economic, environmental
and social needs. This includes:
— Transformation of the environment
— Pursuing World Heritage Status for
the Black Country and Birmingham Canal Network and its Environs;
— Preparing a Canal Management Plan
for the whole of the Canal network.
3. Canals are at the centre of our regeneration
plans, providing major corridors of opportunity and British Waterways
have played a key role in our partnership.
4. We would therefore request that the Committee
encourage British Waterways to continue its vital contribution
to regeneration.
MAIN SUBMISSION
5. The Black Country is a distinctive major
urban sub region with a vibrant, welcoming multi-cultural society.
It has a population of almost 1.1 million, larger than most major
UK cities, including its neighbour, Birmingham, and is home to
over 450,000 jobs. The sub-region comprises the City of Wolverhampton
and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall.
Situated at the cross roads of the UK, straddling the watershed
of England (the Trent and Severn) and distinguished by its geological,
industrial and canals heritage, which led out the urbanisation
of the industrial revolution. For this reason, the Black Country
Authorities have had a long tradition of close and effective working
with British Waterways.
6. Black Country Consortium is the sub-regional
partnership for Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, a
forum for the strategic coordination of public, private and voluntary
sector partners. It provides a single voice on strategic direction
and leadership for renaissance of the Black Country Sub-Region,
a shared evidence base for decision-making and selective joint
action to promote beneficial change.
7. In 2002, the Black Country Consortium,
the public/ private partnership established to co-ordinate the
strategic regeneration of the Black Country, in liaison with the
West Midlands Regional Assembly, agreed to take a fresh "vision-led"
approach to strategic thinking to guide future growth and prosperity
of the Black Country sub-region—in other words—to
deliver "urban renaissance".
8. A new 30 Year Vision was agreed for a
more competitive economy reversing current trends. This has now
been enshrined in a new 30 Strategy and Spatial Plan for the sub
region, endorsed by Government which sets out to achieve the following:
— To transform the environment and
develop the whole of the Black Country as an Urban Park, based
on our beacons, corridors and communities;
— Pursue (in conjunction with Birmingham
City Council) World Heritage Status for the Black Country and
Birmingham Canal Network and its Environs;
— To prepare a Canal Management Plan
for the whole of the Canal network.
9. Urban Renaissance is more than just regeneration
of areas that need to be a focus of public and private sector
investment for their economic, social and environmental revival.
Renaissance involves a major transformation of an area, through:
— Changes in the pattern of land uses;
— Revival of outworn housing, industrial
areas and town and city centres;
— Radical improvement of the quality
of the environment—not just establishing a greener, more
pleasant environment, but improved quality of services, shopping,
air, water, access to open space, housing conditions, road safety
and personal security.
10. Equally, the process of change requires
both changes in attitude, and confidence in an area, such that
people in the area and potential new residents and investors,
will see it as a good place to live, work and trade. The process
of renaissance involves combining required action on housing,
employment, shopping, transport and so on, into a "seamless
package". This means that all the various initiatives to
make an area a better place need to interact with each other so
that the benefits of one area of action will be felt over the
full range of initiatives required.
11. The Black Country canals include a fascinating
network of junctions and branches. Many of the canals are part
of or adjacent to conservation areas and many of the sub-regions
main visitor attractions are either located adjacent to or not
too far away from a canal. There is a wealth of features which
will interest canal enthusiasts and industrial archaeologists:
locks, bridges and warehouses all give a hint of the important
role the Black Country played in the sub-regions past. The Canals
enabled the development of communities and as such play a pivotal
role in creating and retaining the Black Country's local distinctiveness.
12. However, the Canals within the Black
Country are not just a link to our Industrial past. They provide
a green corridor within a predominantly urban landscape, are often
designated as linear open space, have inherent wildlife value,
and provide opportunities for biodiversity and leisure.
13. Canals are a key asset to the sub-region,
linking heritage, culture and recreation, the visitor economy
and environment. They are also a key asset in terms of development/regeneration
with many canal side locations acting as valuable locations for
redevelopment, especially for housing and leisure.
14. However, it is vital that an holistic
approach is taken when defining how the canals and historic environment
can support the implementation of the Black Country Study and
the Black Country Vision.
15. The Government is keen to see the canals
maintained and developed in a sustainable manner so that they
fulfil their full economic, social and environmental potential.
16. British Waterways, the Statutory body
for maintaining the canals and waterways, has stated that the
canal network
"will be regarded as one of the nation's
most important and valued national assets, and that visitors will
be delighted with the quality of the experience and as a consequence
many will become active participants".
"The property and land surrounding our inland
waterways are an important part of maintaining an attractive and
vibrant network, they offer opportunities for us to participate
in urban and rural regeneration projects and provide a crucial
income source".
Therefore, British Waterways will be ensuring
that future developments support their policy for sustainable
development and realising the potential for regeneration.
17. British Waterways have produced their
Vision for the next 10 years;
"Our ambition is that by 2012 we will have
created an expanded, vibrant, largely self-sufficient waterway
network used by twice as many people as in 2002. It will be regarded
as one of the nation's most important and valued national assets.
Visitors will be delighted with the quality of the experience
and as a consequence many will become active participants."
18. A number of sub-regional strategies
and programmes have been developed to ensure the sustainable development
of the canal network within the Black Country. The Black Country
Canals Tourism and Interpretation Strategy, provides a framework
for the development of the canal network which meets the aims
and objectives of both British Waterways and the Local Authorities,
in addition to providing guidelines on future development. Canals
are included as a Habitat Action Plan in the Birmingham and Black
Country Biodiversity Action Plan. Key national agencies, such
as English Nature and English Heritage, provide an additional
framework for the sustainable development of the canal network.
Linkages with policies relating to the natural and historic environment
housing and economic development should work together to ensure
that the assets which make the Black Country distinctive are not
lost forever.
19. The major policy direction however for
the Black Country Canal network will be embedded within the Black
Country Canals Management Plan, an integral element of the World
Heritage Aspiration work.
20. The Management Plan will integrate the
aspirations of all of the Strategies and policies relating to
the network as well as providing a vehicle to develop and implement
the framework as set out in the Black Country Study. The Management
Plan will ensure that the integrity of network and its local distinctiveness
is maintained while ensuring that there is an agreed process for
the conservation and sustainable development of the network.
21. Canals are at the centre of our regeneration
plans, providing major corridors of opportunity and British Waterways
have played a key role in our partnership. In particular:
— Member of the Black Country Consortium
Board
— Member of the Urban Park Strategic
Management Steering Group
— Member of the World Heritage bid
Task Group
— Participation in visioning events/delivery
events to take forward our regeneration plans
— Key partner in our £50 million
BIG Lottery bid for the Urban Park in 2008
— Close work with Urban Regeneration
Companies and local Authorities in the Black Country to deliver
canal based schemes in our strategic centres, in particular, Brierley
Hill, Wolverhampton and Walsall
— Leading on the preparation of the
Canal Management Plan.
22. We would therefore request that the
Committee encourage British Waterways to continue its vital contribution
to regeneration. It is imperative that they retain a regeneration
role in areas like the Black Country, where canals form a key
component of the landscape.
Black Country Consortium Ltd
March 2008
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