This document discusses the economic impacts of restored waterways in Great Britain based on lessons learned. It notes that over 5,000 km of Britain's waterways have been restored, creating public benefits like business development, tourism, and improved well-being. Case studies of restored canals in places like Droitwich and along the Kennet & Avon Canal demonstrate impacts like increased visits, business growth, jobs, and investment. The document advocates for clear restoration visions that capture community support and monitor impacts to realize wider economic and social benefits.
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Glen Millar Presentation
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
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