Economic impact of restored waterways: Lessons from Great Britain

Glenn Millar, Economic Development Manager, British Waterways

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 waterways

• Over 100 active restoration projects, at various stages of implementation

Droitwich Canals

Kennet & Avon Canal

Lowlands Canals

Social

Health & well-being

Education & learning

Social cohesion

Public benefits of waterways Ecosystems services delivered

Economic

Freight transport

Waterside regeneration

Business support & development

Environmental

Sustainable transport

Natural environment

Cultural heritage

Climate change

Waterways & businessSustainable 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

Waterways & businessMarine 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

Waterways & businessSocial economyNot-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

Waterways & businessCultural & 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

Waterways & businessRegenerating 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

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

Kennet & Avon CanalImpacts – 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

Kennet & Avon CanalImpacts – 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

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

Droitwich Canals restoration

Lock 1

Netherwich Basin

Coney Meadow Reedbed

Lock 2

A449 Bridge

Droitwich Canals restorationVisits

•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”

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

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