Element 3

The return of the River Derwent to navigation standards from the canal crossing at Wilmorton to the Derwent Valley World Heritage site; The Derby Silk Mill

The River Derwent has been used as a navigation from at least AD 48. The freedom of navigation on the river was granted in 1204 by King John, and an Act of Navigation was granted in 1720 for the 13 miles between Derby and the River Trent. It was largely used for transporting coal. The Romans used it to transport lead.

The Derby Canal was built between 1793 and 1796 and the rights of navigation were purchased by The Derby Canal Company in 1795 for £3,996. Trade gradually transferred from the river to the canal, except within the city centre. The Derby Canal crossed the river where the law courts now stand and boats were able to navigate as far as the Darley Abbey Mills using the canal to access the river above the weir.

The River Derwent is not used by boats, and it is proposed that a feasibility study is carried out to explore a means of this section of the river being reconnected to the national waterways system by access from the Derby Canal from Wilmorton to St. Mary's Bridge in the heart of the city. It is suggested that a traditional lock and weir system is used as on the rivers Trent and Soar.

A Trent Barge sail seen beside the wood yard, Derby City Centre. The Guildhall and Cathedral can be seen on the horizon - 1930

View of the weir and long bridge which took the Derby Canal across the river. Warehouses and 1850 wharfage can be seen in the distance

Because there was no towpath, the boatman is poling his boat along the shallow river

Cast Iron bridge sections being transported from the Handyside foundry by a barge

By the First World War, the canal was in decline and losing considerable amounts of money. Both the Midland Railway Company and the Great Northern Railway ran through Derby and there were railway wharves standing next to the canal wharves in the St. Mary�s area of the city. As canal traffic declined, so too did river traffic until it ceased completely.

The Derby Canal Company applied for an Act of Abandonment of the canal before World War II, but for various reasons, was not successful until 1964.

There is very strong public and political feeling that the river should once again be open to navigation. It is widely recognised that since 1933, and the building of the Council House, Derby has turned its back to the river. Derby has more riverside acreage than Stratford on Avon and is not used except for the stretch in Darley Park and the occasional fishing club. Connecting the river to the national waterways system would:

Bring the city centre river section back to life with people
Compliment and enhance the 'Riverlights' and 'Cityscape' developments
Hugely increase tourism and overnight visitor spend through the attractions of:
- The Derby Arm
- The unique Railway Roundhouse under restoration by Derby Colleges
- The 'Riverlights' development of restaurants, theatres, cinemas etc
- The Derwent Valley World Heritage Site visitor moorings
- The 'St. Mary The Bridge Chapel', (1 of only 6 in the country)
- All other city centre attractions and venues

Outside Derby Railway Station, (5 Arches), looking East

From Exeter Bridge, Derby City Centre, looking towards the River Gardens and weir

Outside The Derby Industrial Museum, (The Derby Silk Mill)

A Feasibility Study has to be carried out to look in depth at several factors which have to be investigated:

Any development has to have the full agreement of The Environment Agency
They are currently writing a scoping statement, after agreeing in principle to the scheme
The scheme would have to ensure that the standard of flood defence of the surrounding area would not be affected
Precautionary plans would have to be investigated to ensure that the river in flood does not put the user at risk
The presence of the major upstream weir and its effect upon safety must be assessed

It is expected that to instigate this proposal and seek approval, this section of river would have to be computer modelled if it does not already exist within EA archives.

The 19th Century Port of Derby

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Supported by Derby & Derbyshire Economic Partnership