April, 2012
The Trust has made a submission for inclusion in Derbyshire County Council's Infrastructure Plan. See above.
Plans are afoot to restore the winding hole at Spondon this summer, so if you want to get down and dirty see Works Group above.
County Boost to Canal Plans
News that Derbyshire County Council have voted to appoint a canals officer for the County was welcomed by The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust. Chris Madge, Director of the Trust and Chairman of the Members Society said “Derbyshire County Council have provided support for the Chesterfield and Cromford canals for many years and it looks as if they will now be reorganising their support on a county wide basis. We are still waiting to understand the full details for this role, but we see this as extra resource for us and recognition of our arguments for moving forward with the Derby canal restoration. We have long argued that the economic and social benefits would be massive for the greater Derby area and it seems the County Council has been listening. The provision of even a share of a full time officer will greatly assist and speed the delivery of the project, which until now has been driven by a passionate band of volunteers. All of the local Councils, including Derbyshire, have supported the Trust by appointing directors to its Board, but in times of hardship we see this as a significant step forward for our project.”
The Trust was successful in achieving outline planning permission for the whole of the canal line in August last year after a gruelling and intensive four year process requiring substantial investment of time and professional fees and surveys. But the cost was worth it to secure the line that the canal would take. With this in the bag the Trust has been able to make more detailed plans on a section by section basis. These plans have been submitted to Derbyshire County Council for consideration within the Derbyshire wide infrastructure plan currently being updated. David Hayes, Secretary to the Trust’s Executive Group, explained “to get our project included in the county’s infrastructure plan massively improves our prospects. It will mean that all future developments will be undertaken in an integrated fashion around our project. We become part of the joined up approach that the County will adopt to major infrastructure developments. We expect this to aid us in raising future funding.
Studying the plans submitted it is clear to see that the project is enormous in scale – especially for volunteers, however passionate they may be. But recent history shows it can be done. The Derby and Sandiacre is only the second project nationally to achieve outline planning for the whole canal in one application. The other was an application for the Droitwich canal – and that canal was fully restored and opened for business last year. The Derby Trust is following the successful approach at Droitwich and elsewhere by breaking the project into bite sized chunks that can be tackled individually, one by one, until the line is complete.
So which of these bite sized chunks will be a priority? Chris explained “ By breaking the project into sections we can react to changes in circumstances such as offers of assistance from building contractors and developers and of course availability of funding. Whether it is developer led privately funded projects or grant funding becoming available we need to be in a position to seize the opportunity. But until that happens we are actively progressing the four sections most likely to move forward first: Pride Park, Chellaston, Spondon and Sandiacre.”
The Derby Arm
Readers may remember earlier reports by the Telegraph of the boat lift engine proposed by the Trust to get boats from the canal line down to the river level. The Trust cites the example of a new boat lift created with £10m of Millenium Lottery funding at Falkirk. The “Falkirk Wheel” lifts boats filled with day trippers up 30 feet and attracts 500,000 visitors each year. Remarkably it is the second most popular tourist attraction after Edinburgh Castle and has been since 2001. The project was one of the last to be completed by the Butterley Engineering Company at Ripley and was so efficient that it could complete the lift using just 5 kW of power – that’s enough to boil 5 kettles!
Mike Wood, Principal of architects ADDC of Derby, and consultant to the Trust explained that considerable interest had been shown by the developers considering uses for land opposite Pride Park Stadium. Mike is confident that Derby could at least match the success of the Falkirk Wheel and the revenue from so many visitors would finance the build of the “Derby Arm” boat lift and creating a navigation channel up the Derwent to the city centre. “We can see tremendous economic benefits to Derby in attracting tourists to our Silk Mill – the world’s first factory - and the Derwent Valley Heritage Site not to mention the impact that boat traffic on the Derwent would have on invigorating the RiverLights project. No other city of our size turns its back on the waterway running through it.”
Chellaston
The Telegraph has already reported the developments of the Sinfin Moor Technology Park. In order to gain access to the new park traffic is expected to be directed from the A50 junction at Chellaston and it will need to cross the canal line to do so. The crossing coincides with the canal crossing Cuttle Brook and so the prospective bridge would dominate the park and residential area. The Trust are discussing how their route might be modified so that the bridge height can be lowered and become much more acceptable to local residents. As part of these discussions the Trust will incur additional cost which it hopes would be met by developers allowing a stretch of canal to be put into water.
Spondon
The Trust has tremendous levels of support from the Spondon community and has always looked on the Spondon stretch as an early win. The most likely route for operation is joining with developers to jointly fund the canal restoration. Developers can gain by using an adjacent canal as the required leisure component meaning more of their land can be used for house building and the sales value of houses close to water can be 20% more than others. But of course house building will not happen until the local economy improves.
So the Trust is looking to find grant funding to kick start this area, which runs for about 1.5 miles from Megalaughton Lane in Spondon to Station Road, Borrowash and is expected to cost up to £2m. The obvious source now that the Olympics have been funded is the National Lottery, which has funded this type of project in the past. To succeed the Trust will need to put forward a compelling case to spend the money on this project, but it believes that the excavation of the lock chamber at the Borrowash end of the section will restore a structure that was uniquely upgraded early in the last century. It will also meet the aspirations of the residents of Spondon to provide a focus south of the A52 to bring the community back together. In the meantime Trust members continue to make an impact on the ground by laying and restoring hedges and continuing with plans to restore the winding hole (boat turning area) at Station Road Spondon. All this will help demonstrate the support when funding is applied for.
Sandiacre
The final stretch runs from the Erewash Canal to Springfield Avenue in Sandiace, a distance of over half a mile. The section is complex and needs to deal with sewer pipes and a bridge in need of repair as well as the restoration of two locks. The plan is to take the canal under Longmoor Lane where there would be a turning and mooring area. Chris explained “There are a lot of engineering issues to be dealt with, but the Trust would be delighted to restore a length that can be accessed by boat traffic from the Erewash canal. This would then make subsequent stretches so much easier to progress – the first section is always the most difficult – and could provide a base for trip boats to generate some modest income. Most grant funding requires matched funding (say 30%) to be found elsewhere, so a source of own income becomes very valuable.”
Funding
The Trust’s record in attracting funds has been good to date with success in all but one application submitted – and the failure was an application for £25m, which was judged to be in the top 20% of applications. However the Trust recognises that applications may now be required on a more regular basis and a longer term strategy needs to be developed. That’s why they are commissioning Funding People, a Community Interest Company based in Mansfield, to develop the strategy and hone the Trust’s applications to maximum effect. Funding People come highly recommended from success with the Chesterfield Canal restoration and understand the various sources of funding and the restrictions and requirements of each.
So it seems there’s a lot happening on the Derby and Sandiacre Canal. As Chris pointed out “We are seeing a surge in interest from the community. Memberships have increased and attendances at our monthly meetings at the Wilmot Arms in Borrowash now regularly attract over 50 people. The success in achieving planning permission has envigourated our supporters and the skills that they offer will undoubtedly be used in the restoration work.” But the big question is when will it all happen. Chris adds “ There’s no certainty in a project of this size, but with the pace of activity now seeming to pick up daily we expect to have funding and the necessary permissions in place to start digging out one of the sections above during 2013. Everyone is keen to know when it will be complete, and judging for other similar schemes we are looking at 10 to 20 years, so there’s plenty of hard work ahead of us yet.”
Contacts:
Chris Madge Chairman DSCSociety, Trust Director 07827 946444
Steve Jeffery Chairman of DSCTrust 01332 200388
Mike Wood Architect to Trust 01332 203207, 0793 2021559
Paul Turner Director and Founder 01159 496838, 07710 324800
David Hayes Secretary 01332 662963 david.hayes31@btinternet.com
As a result of the Trust releasing its plans for the future following the granting of Outline Planning Permission a series of articles has appeared in the Derby Evening Telegraph to great effect, please click here to see them
2011
Now we have outline planning permission for the whole canal we need people with expertise/experience in civil engineering, drawing up and letting of contracts, fund raising, surveying, costing, computing such as spreadsheets etc.
So, if you have some, or all of these skills or other relevant capabilities please contact Chris Madge.
Update 24th August 2011
In a spirited discussion at South Derbyshire District Council last night we finally received the final piece of the outline planning jigsaw. Our application was eventually approved with only one vote against. The discussion was generated due to the possible options for the first 400 metres and will need to be carefully dealt with to ensure concerns are addressed at detailed planning.
The next stage is a review of the masterplan and a meeting has been called for 9th September of key Trust and Society meeting committee members to review the next steps and draw up a masterplan for funding and development. The challenge is to maintain the initiative to get a stretch into water as quickly as possible and to use the many offers of practical help made by members.
Offers of help are welcomed and we are actively looking to raise our profile now we have the credibility of the successful application. New members will be particularly welcome at this time of increasing activity.
News at 28th July,2011
Erewash Borough Council unanimously passed the outline Planning permission application. HOORAY!
All we need now is South Derbyshire to say yes. (planned council meeting on the 23rd of August).
News at 8th July, 2011
PLANNING SUCCESS
At the planning meeting held by Derby City Council from 6pm on 7th July 2011 the Outline Planning Application was approved in an unanimous decision. Committee Chairman Robin Wood said the application was the best thing the committee had considered for a long, long time.
Derby City have taken the lead role in coordinating the application and so it is expected that S Derbyshire and Erewash Councils will also approve their sections on 1st July and 27th July respectively.
The Trust and Society is looking to promote this success locally on Radio and TV as well as through the Derby Telegraph. We already have a strong Society membership, but now is the time for those interested to join. Increased membership demonstrates the community's desire to achieve the restoration and provides funds which can be matched with grants, etc to fund restoration and gives a greater pool of volunteer labour for the Society's work parties. Please use this website to register interest.
OPP NEWS
The Trust has submitted the revised Environmental Impact Study to the councils, and the OPP will be put before the Derby City Council on the 10th of February, 2011.
Thanks to all those who went to the trouble of registering their views on the various websites, there were only 5 or so objections (99% on technical grounds) and to date there is only one outstanding, the Trust having satisfied the rest.
We are confident that the last objection will be overcome shortly and that Outline Planning Permission will be granted.
The Outline Planning Permission application (OPP) has now been registered and we invite you to register your support with your local council or, indeed, with all three.
To do this, go to the council website/s of your choice and find their planning page, enter their reference and make a comment.
The three references are:-
Derby City 03/07/00495
South Derbys 09/2009/0054
Erewash Borough ERE/0410/0042
Thanks for your support.
Outline Planning Permission Application (OPP)
Great News! Following our application for Outline Planning Permission we arranged Public Consultation Meetings along the route of the canal at Sandiacre, Breaston, Draycott Borrowash/Spondon, Wilmorton/Alvaston, Allenton and Shelton Lock, most of which were well attended with a lively question time after the presentation.
Although there were some concerns such as construction traffic and public safety during and after construction, there was not one dissention.
The Application will shortly be uploaded onto the websites of Derby City Council, Erewash Borough Council and South Derbyshire District Council for consultation so please have a look and make a comment, preferably favourable!
This is the most important step so far in the process and is a critical precursor to moving to restore the canal on a step by step process. We therefore need you to help to support the application.
Please read the notes on the Outline Planning Permission page and send your comments in support to the relevant Local Authority/s.
The Linear Park - transitional thinking
A 12 mile linear green corridor awaiting development
A former heritage canal, Derby and Sandiacre, connects the Erewash and Trent and Mersey canals, and offers a fantastic green corridor for enhancement and full reinstatement.
The corridor is enjoyed by a host of users, with an exciting opportunity to link the Derby riverside to navigable waterways. Since the beginning of 2008, the Trust Development Group, supported by a Derbyshire City Partnership grant, have been actively involved in securing outline planning permission for the horizontal alignment of the entire canal corridor, whilst endeavouring to open various stretches of the waterway.
We are encouraged by the progress of our application, finalising modifications to the environmental impact and flood risk assessments, aspects requested by the three authorities at the beginning of the year, to ensure the planning application can be registered and undergo the full sixteen week consultation process, and hopefully lead to a planning decision by March/April, 2010. To obtain planning approval from three authorities, remains a challenging and complex undertaking, taking us all through a roller coaster of highs and lows, but disregarding the various setbacks we are confident with the support of all the participating bodies that the outline planning application for reinstating the canal corridor will be registered by November, 2009, and be considered for planning approval by the end of the year
Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust, July 2009.
To view the route go to Stakeholder Pages and open green map 'canal ring'.
Preliminary Stages of Construction
The Derby Riverside to Erewash Towpath Heritage Trail
A seven and half mile linear park, providing a cycleway and footway on the towpath, linking the Erewash canal junction at Sandiacre to the river Derwent crossing and onto the City riverside. The creation of a green multi user trail for Erewash and the City will improve lifestyles of an under-utilised green canal garden. The proposed towpath heritage trail will connect the silk mills of Derby riverside with the the original lock keeper's cottage on the Erewash Canal. The Trust have estimated that for a capital cost of circa £700k to £1.1 million, subject to pavement specification, a sustainable pavement with landscaping can be built over a twenty week period, thereby establishing the route. The corridor provides an amenity for cyclists, walkers, joggers, naturalists and pedestrian to enjoy a unique and dedicated green way in and out of the City.
The Trust and Society have established partnerships and collaborative interest from a host of key intermediaries such as the Spondon Community Association, Derby Cityscape, Cycle Derby, Derby City Partnership and Erewash Partnership, all of whom will benefit considerably from this towpath heritage trail.
Our current project steering group comprises of - BWB, Gleeds, Sutrans, Centre of Pavement Excellence, Tarmac and Dew Construction, all dedicating significant resources and financial contributions to ensuring that the best possible design and value can be derived, thereby attracting funding.
16th December, 2009 - News has broken that the '6Cs' fund for the East Midlands has accepted our application as an 'expression of interest' - Gleeds will be dealing with this on a pro bono basis.
Other Stages of Construction
Leading to Navigational Waterway
T
he Trust's mission is to restore the canal to full navigation. This is best achieved by sectional canal side developments on the Spondon mile or canal junctions at the Trent and Mersey and Erewash canals. Unfortunately the current economic down turn has restricted investment on such capital intensive builds, therefore we have been forced to put on hold our Spondon and Draycott developments until at least mid 2010. The beautification & enhancement of the existing canal corridor, cultivation of the canal gardens existing flora, fauna, trees and wildlife, along with the placement of a new towpath, remains a real prospect with least cost or risk. Consequently, the Trust's project development group seek help from Erewash and City authorities to fund this first stage of construction.