Growth of Restoration

The concept of voluntary work on the inland waterway was born in the 1960's and has steadily grown.  From the early days when a very few volunteers worked on projects such as the Peak Forest and Ashton Canals near Manchester, the River Avon in Worcestershire and the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal in Warwickshire, the postion has changed out of all recognition.

The final quarter of the twentieth century saw a number of canal restoration projects taking place. By the time the Millennium arrived most of these projects were underway, and some had been completed. Canals that were partly destroyed and their land used for agriculture or buildings were now being restored. Today in the twenty-first century, there are even plans for new canals, which will improve access to isolated parts of the canal system.

The money to finance these projects comes from a number of sources. The government agency British Waterways enables some of the work, government grant aid for the reclamation of derelict land is sometimes available, and so sometimes is European money, but this source is limited to specific areas. Local government also provides finance in many places and business sponsorship has been obtained for some projects. IWA and local canal societies are another source, not just for finance, but also for practical assistance.

In 1950 there was a temporary closure of the Kennet & Avon Canal. There was no money available for repair work and the condition of the canal deteriorated. Finally, in 1955, its legal closure was proposed. The Kennet & Avon Canal Association was formed to fight this proposal and to save the best inland waterway link between the North Sea and the Irish Sea in the south of England. Work on restoration was agreed in 1961, though sufficient finance was never provided. The 1968 Transport Act then designated 30% of the canal as a 'cruise way' for which money was available, but the rest was designated as 'remainder' waterway, with low financial priority. Kennet & Avon Canal Association along with IWA set about restoring the 'remainder' section of the canal. Over twenty years, a total of £9.5 million was raised. This paid for a variety of work undertaken partly by government job-creation schemes, partly by IWA volunteers. The canal reopened in 1990. However, because restoration was undertaken with a very limited budget, the standard of work was lacking in certain places, and the canal's water supply, which had always been extremely poor, caused problems. To complete the restoration of the canal to higher standards, a programme of work costing £28 million, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was undertaken.

The Peak Forest and Ashton Canals were also saved from closure. These two canals were important, as they would create a circular route to the south of Manchester, ideal for leisure activities. British Waterways had proposed to close these two canals in the 1960s, but were successfully opposed by the Peak Forest Canal Society and IWA. Again, volunteers provided vital help in raising money and in restoration work. Their effective publicity also changed the attitude of local authorities that had originally been in favour of the canals' closure. Today these authorities have realised the recreational benefits of canals and are supportive of further improvements.

Among on-going projects is the restoration of the 53 kilometre long Grantham Canal. Originally serving the countryside to the east of Nottingham, this canal had been abandoned in 1936, and parts have been filled-in. Restoration will require 3 kilometres of new canal to be built, to link the old canal with the rest of England's waterway system. A similar distance has been drained because of mining subsidence and will also need extensive reconstruction. A full study has been undertaken, looking at the cost of restoration, environmental problems and the economic benefits to the local community.

The increased publicity for canals and the extensive political pressure for conservation and restoration, which has been achieved by IWA members, have led to great interest in canal side development from business and industry. Canals, with their reputation for slowness and a lack of investment, had previously been seen as detrimental to commercial development. However, with the public's increasing awareness of the positive environmental benefits of canals and their historical associations, canal side sites, particularly those with suitable old buildings, are now regarded as prime sites for commercial development.

One of the first cities to look with renewed interest at canal side redevelopment was Birmingham. By the late 1960s, an area of warehousing and associated buildings at the top of Farmer's Bridge locks, close to the city centre, had fallen into dereliction. A scheme for new housing and recreational facilities was drawn up by the architect Peter White, together with plans for the conservation of some of the canal's older buildings and other features around the canal locks. Some old houses were restored, while others were converted into office accommodation. The resulting improvements were widely acclaimed. Although it took some time before further work was undertaken, the scheme had shown the positive advantages of re-using older buildings and canals in the redevelopment of city centre sites. The success of the scheme led to similar developments all over the country.

Why has the restoration of English canals been so successful?

• One of the most important reasons must be the pressure exerted by enthusiasts and the IWA for nearly 60 years. Firstly, they changed the public's view of canals from that of a derelict eyesore to one where the historical, environmental and leisure benefits were appreciated.
  
  
• Secondly, by positive publicity in the media, they forced national and local government to re-evaluate the position of canals in their planning policies.

This, in turn, allowed finance to become available from public sources for conservation and restoration. The large-scale private investment which followed would certainly not have been forthcoming, had not the public authorities already started to conserve and develop canals.

Hundreds of miles of canals and river navigations have been saved from dereliction and are enjoyed by thousands of people. And hundreds more miles are gradually being brought back to life, thanks to over 50 voluntary groups spread all over the country, with a combined workforce of thousands.

From the Lancaster Canal in the North to the Chichester Canal in the South, the Bude Canal in Cornwall to the Ipswich and Stowmarket Navigation in Suffolk, voluntary working parties are run by local waterways societies, branches of the Inland Waterways Association and regional WRG Groups. Some work regularly on a project in their area, while some work as a mobile task force, travelling long distances to boost local efforts where their help is most needed....

Click here to see what the future holds for IWA's Restoration movement...