Presentation given by Glen Millar, British Waterways at Clones Canal Conference 9/3/12

1. Economic impact of restored
waterways: Lessons from Great
Britain
Glenn Millar, Economic Development Manager, British Waterways

2. Britain’s canals & rivers
• 5,000 km of navigable waterways
• 3,200 km under the control of British
Waterways
• 2,000 km of abandoned / un-navigable Lowlands Canals
waterways
• Over 100 active restoration projects, at
various stages of implementation
Droitwich
Canals
Kennet & Avon
Canal

3. Public benefits of waterways
Ecosystems services delivered
Economic
Freight transport
Environmental
Waterside regeneration
Sustainable transport
Business support & development
Natural environment
Social Cultural heritage
Health & well-being Climate change
Education & learning
Social cohesion

4. Waterways & business
Sustainable tourism
• Historic inland waterways – USP for
Ireland & UK – generate inward visitors
• Based on natural / built heritage
• Networking of businesses & attractions
• Agricultural diversification
• Localism – link to food & drink
• Retention of rural services
Canal Central, Shropshire
•Shop & post office – local produce
•Tearoom & internet café (broadband)
•Accommodation – self-catering & camping

5. Waterways & business
Marine industries
• Marinas
• Boat building & repairs / equipment
manufacture
• Boating holidays – boat hire
• Boat trips
• Ancillary services – boat & equipment
sales, insurance etc.
Llangollen Mooring Basin
•Opened 2004 – Cost £1.6m
•£477,000 additional visitor spend p.a.
•Supports 2 direct seasonal jobs + 16.5 FTE jobs
in the wider economy

6. Waterways & business
Social economy
Not-for-profit organisations delivering:-
• Training & skills / welfare-to-work schemes
• Activities for young people
• Health & well-being initiatives
• Services for disadvantaged groups – disabled
people, young offenders (probation) etc.
• Canal works (incl. restoration) through
volunteers
Black Country Canals Future Jobs Project
•Work experience, skills & training for 135 unemployed young people (16-24)
•Value of work done on canals - £900,000 – through access improvements, vegetation
clearance, rubbish removal & painting

7. Waterways & business
Cultural & creative industries
• Inspiration from waterway heritage
• The arts – visual, music, film
• Availability of workspace close to the canal
• Clustering of creative industries
Glasgow – Speirs Locks
•Canalside cultural / arts quarter
•Rehearsal studios – National Theatre /
Scottish Opera
•Artist studios
•Arts link between Speirs Wharf & city centre

8. Waterways & business
Regenerating waterway
corridors
• Enhanced residential property values
• Improved marketability of commercial
properties
• Market created for hospitality / retail sectors
• Enhanced image of cities, towns & regions –
attracting inward investment & jobs
• Green infrastructure – for recreation &
sustainable transport
• Improved quality of life for local people

9. Kennet & Avon Canal
restoration
•140 km long waterway linking the R.Thames
with Bristol
•Opened 1810
•Closed to through navigation 1955
•Gradual re-opening over next 30 years
•Re-opened in 1990. However re-opening not
sustainable in the long-terms
•£30 million scheme to secure the future of the
canal – supported by Heritage Lottery Fund
•Canal officially re-opened 2003

10. Kennet & Avon Canal
Impacts – Tourism & recreation
Change in activity 1995 - 2009
•Increase in visits – 46% to 11 million p.a.
•Growth in visitor spend to £42 million p.a.
•Growth in boats based on the canal – 39% to 1,400
Businesses & employment
•500 additional FTE jobs in tourism & recreation
•700 tourism & recreation jobs safeguarded
•Canal important for 46% of local tourism & recreation
businesses

11. Kennet & Avon Canal
Impacts – Development
Investment
•£375 - £435 million in waterside developments by
2005
•Over 1,000 new residential units created
Employment
•2,700 new jobs in canalside offices, shops etc –
mainly in Reading
Social impact
•91% of local people thought the canal made their
part of England special
Ecosystems services
•£13.8 million value p.a., c/w £4.5 million in un-
navigable state

12. Droitwich Canals restoration
•7.5 mile long canal focussing on the market
town of Droitwich (Worcestershire)
•2 canals – Barge Canal (1771) & Junction Canal
(1854)
•Abandoned 1939
•Re-opened 2011, after £12.7 million restoration
project
•Funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, Advantage
West Midlands, local authorities, British
Waterways & charitable donations

13. Droitwich Canals restoration
Netherwich Basin
Coney Meadow Reedbed
Lock 2
A449 Bridge
Lock 1

14. Droitwich Canals restoration
Visits
•c2,500 boat movements p.a. forecast 2011-12
•Towpath visits – 20-30% growth in visits
Impact on businesses – Water Festival 2011
•25% growth in footfall at local shopping centre
•Growth in sales – local businesses
− Pubs 60-100%
− Tea-room 80%
− Delicatessen 50-60%
Wider economic impact
•Fall in benefit claimants 2010-11 (Wychavon) – 3.1%
•Peter Luff (MP) – “Economic resilience is underpinned
by investments such as…the re-opening of the
Droitwich Canals”

15. Some final thoughts
•Have a clear vision – how the waterway relates
to the wider corridor
•Capture people’s imagination – involve the local
community
•Think about what the scheme will deliver – local
impact (jobs); wider ecosystems services
•Monitoring & evaluation – build in from the start
•Think about “hubs” for development – clustering
of activity
•Think about the needs of businesses

16. Some final thoughts
•Identify linkages
− Complimentary projects / ideas
− New priorities for action – climate change; economic
recovery / resilience etc.
− Agriculture – diversification & “greening”
•Think “outside the box”
− Falkirk Wheel – more than just a solution to an
engineering problem