See inside for our fantastic range of activities over the next few months
• A View From The Helm Page 3
• Forthcoming Events Page 4
• Recent Activities Page 7
• Recent News Page 10
CRT Funding—IWA Press Release
Fund Britain’s Waterways—Campaign Cruise
Venue for Branch Public Meetings
Festival of Water
Brownhills Festival
Huddlesford Festival
• A Towing Job Page 15
• Staffs & Worcs Canal Towpath Improvements Page 16
• Rugeley Cyclepath Signage Page 18
• Planning Page 18
• Editorial Notice Page 21
The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy, or as an official pronouncement, unless specifically identified as such.
The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342
Registered Office: Unit 16B, Chiltern Court, Asherbridge Road, Chesham HP5 2PX
Tel: 01494 783453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk
Since the Pandemic our Branch, like many other organisations, has been struggling to attract members, visitors to events & volunteers to activities. People have got used to not going out, depending on Social Media and being isolated.
My principal aim since being elected chairman has been to address this issue by ensuring that we have an attractive programme of topics and speakers at our monthly meetings that can be published & promoted for the year ahead.
I believe that we also need to address our ageing membership and the perception that IWA is only for boaters and possibly only for narrow boaters. We need to broaden the appeal of our events, attracting everyone interested in our inland waterways and that includes the public, boaters and non-boaters alike. Improving opportunities for social interaction at our meetings will be a bonus,
Our Lock Wind on 6th August at Barton Turn on the Trent & Mersey has been publicised in Barton under Needwood’s community magazine. We’ll see if anyone comes to find what IWA is about. On the August Bank Holiday we’ll be at IWA’s Festival of Water at Pelsall.
Getting folks in gives the best chance of showing them the friendliness and social benefits of our Branch meetings. And converting them later to IWA membership. Inside this edition of Lichfield Lines with its new attractive cover created & edited by Pete Gurney, you’ll find our programme from September to next April. Please put the dates in your diaries and plan to come to our meetings. The programme will also be on the Branch website pages and on our Facebook page. Its ‘use it or lose it’ time!
In addition to historic topics on the heydays of our canals, Neil, your vice-chairman, & I have attracted speakers on fascinating subjects outside the usual range of our meetings.
These include Stephanie Horton managing director of River & Canal Rescue (whom I first met twenty years ago when we were obtaining our RYA Helmsman certificates); Nik Antona, national chairman of CAMRA & Dr Harry White chairman of the National Brewery Heritage Trust.
After 50 years of saving cask beer (dear to the heart of many IWA members) CAMRA is now facing new challenges of ageing membership, pubs closing & Branch decline, some of which are similar to those facing IWA.
Younger people are attracted mostly only to CAMRA’s beer festivals as they are for IWA’s Waterways Recovery Group activities. They shy away from taking office helping to run our Branches.
Burton’s breweries fortunes were transformed by the arrival of the Trent & Mersey
Canal and the heritage of our once world-famous brewing industry has been threatened by the closure by Molson Coors of the National Brewery Heritage Centre (formerly Bass Museum of Brewing). We’ll be hearing about the Archives, Artefacts and plans for the future.
Concerns about congested unlit parking, particularly in the dark days of Winter, and the seating format that permits only limited social interaction at our present location in Lichfield have encouraged us to explore changing to a slightly larger venue at Fradley village. Meanwhile we’ve changed meeting start times to see if that helps. Please study the proposal on Page 12 & let our Committee know your views.
Adrian Wedgwood Branch Chairman.Sunday 6th August 2023—Lockwind
This may well have already happened by the time you get the magazine, but if not. We will be holding a fund raising lockwind at Barton Turn lock starting at 10am and finishing about 4pm followed by food for the volunteers. We make money from donations but mostly from the sale of cakes, so if you can bake a couple of cakes (not too big) please contact Helen on helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk or 01543 491161.
Saturday/Sunday 19th/20th August—Brownhills Festival
Our good friends the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust or L&H for short, are again organising the Brownhills Canal Festival. This will be held on the Wyrley & Essington at Silver Street near Brownhills town centre. There will be historic boats, trading boats and stalls selling all sorts of things. Should be a good weekend.
Saturday/Sunday/Monday 26th-28th August 2023—IWA Festival of Water
After a great event at Burton-upon-Trent last year the August Bank Holiday weekend again sees the IWA Festival of Water in our area, this time at Pelsall Junction on the Wyrley & Essington Canal (see article Page 14). There will be lots of boats, lots of stalls and musical entertainment, and hopefully the weather will be good to us!
Thursday 7th September 2023—Guided Walk
"Carlton and the Ashby Canal." This is an easy 4 ½ mile walk with 0 stiles. The walk follows the towpath, public footpaths, grass tracks and pavements throughout. There is one gentle ascent on a grass track and a steady descent on asphalt pavements. Leaving the pub car park, we first walk through the pretty village of Carlton. We cross fields before climbing gently to Market Bosworth. We descend along the main road down to the canal. We leave the towpath by bridge 44.
We then follow a footpath back to Carlton. Meet 10:30 for a 10:45 start on Thursday 7th September 2023 in the car park of The Gate Hangs Well, Barton Road, Carlton (near Market Bosworth) CV13 0DB
Contact Clive Walker: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Autumn Meetings
Our autumn meetings will meet at the changed time of 7:30pm for a 7:45pm start at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane, off Walsall Road, Lichfield WS13 8AY.
Wednesday 20th September—Meeting
Our first meeting of the season will be a talk by the irrepressible Mike Palmer of WRG entitled “Waterways Recovery Group in 2023 are we back to normal”. Most of the activities of the Waterways Recovery Group were halted during the pandemic and it was only relatively recently that a full programme of events has restarted. Mike will give us an update on what has happened recently including 2 Canal Camps in Lichfield.
Saturday/Sunday 23rd/24th September—Huddlesford Festival
After having to postpone the Festival in 2022 due to HS2 related construction works, Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (L&H) are back with the Huddlesford Festival this year. This is held at the junction of the Coventry Canal and the in
restoration Lichfield Canal. Lots going on over the weekend with boats, stalls and events. Go along and support the Trust. It all helps to rebuild the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals.
Wednesday 18th October—Meeting
This month’s talk will be by Tim Coghlan, the owner of Braunston Marina entitled “The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies 2003 to present”. Tim organises this annual popular rally of working boats. Held in June the Rallies are a fantastic weekend of working boats, music, boat parades and stalls, well worth a visit.
Thursday 9th November—Guided Walk
Our November walk will be in the Stafford area. Keep an eye on the website for details.
Wednesday 15th November—Meeting
November’s talk will be given by Stephanie Horton, Managing Director of River Canal Rescue, on the “Trials and Tribulations of Boating”
Sunday 10th December—Christmas Dinner
I know it is a bit early to be thinking about Christmas in July but after the success of last years event at Darnford Moors Golf Club we will be returning to the same venue again this year. SAVE THE DATE
Monday 1st January 2024—New Year’s Day Guided Walk
Details TBA
Wednesday 17th January 2024—Meeting
Our first meeting of 2024 will be Nik Antona and Jane Eason on “CAMRA, 50 years of Success Saving Real Ale”
Wednesday 21st February 2024—Meeting
February’s meeting will be continuing the subject of beer with Dr Harry White & Laura Waters on “Saving the Brewing Heritage of Burton”
Wednesday 20th March 2024—Meeting
As usual our March meeting will be preceded by the Branch AGM. Following the formalities Branch member
Margaret Beardsmore will show us some of her superb photos with a talk entitled “Photographing the Cut”.
Wednesday 17th April 2024—Meeting
Our last meeting of the season will feature Nick Haynes from the Friends of President giving us up update on “Steam Narrowboat President”. President is currently undergoing an extensive refit the most expensive part of which is a new boiler. This is currently out for tender so it is hoped to get the boat back on the water by summer 2024.
Wednesday 12th April—Short Walk
The short walk program continued this month with a stroll around Armitage. With the rain lashing down and 24mph winds, only a hardy bunch of 5 turned up. Nevertheless, suitably dressed for the occasion, it was an interesting and enjoyable stroll along the canal and through the beautiful grounds of Hawkesyard Hall and Priory in Armitage, finishing with a very nice lunch at the Vintage Tea Rooms on the edge of the estate.
Wednesday 19th April—Meeting
The talk at April’s meeting was given by the always entertaining Phil Clayton with some reflection on his travels entitled “A Northern Lad On (and off) Northern Waters”. An interesting evening.
Thursday 18th May—Guided Walk
For such a small village Barton under Needwood has a plethora of pubs along its main street. For the sake of convenience, and with an additional public car park opposite, the organiser opted to start the walk at The Middle Bell, currently owned by the
crossed the last stile and turned left along the towpath. This is in fact a river section and a fine, white-painted footbridge proved a good vantage point for a group photo.
After passing Wychnor lock we continued along the towpath, traffic rushed past
Derby Brewing Company.
Ten of us set off through the historic village in the pleasant May sunshine. A long green lane soon brought us to the hamlet of Wychnor. We rested by the church. A large stone cross marks the burial place of a young sailor, who lost his life on HMS Barham in November 1941. We headed down to the canal,
close by on the A38. Somewhat disconcertingly the road here is at head-height but it is concealed from the canal by a thin line of vegetation.
We left the towpath by the village of Efflinch and walked from there back to our starting point at The Middle Bell, where we enjoyed refreshment and celebrated Margaret Beardsmore’s birthday!
Clive Walker
Sadly the Moira Festival had to be cancelled this year. There had been a lot of heavy rain prior to the event and the ground conditions were not good enough for a public event. Back next year.
The midsummer late afternoon walk has become a popular addition to the branch calendar. Not only does a June date promise better weather, but the later start also means we can enjoy an evening meal rather than lunch. And so it was that the sun beat down as we assembled outside
The Clifford Arms in Great Haywood. The theme for the day was “discovering the hidden parts of Shugborough”, albeit one of the entrances to Lord Lichfield’s estate, and the first railway arch we passed under. is very well known and not at all hidden, it nonetheless brought us onto the T&M by Lock 22, Haywood Lock,
from where we headed south. This stretch of the towpath is relatively quiet, since most people tend to venture north from here towards Haywood Junction. The river Trent runs parallel to the canal and there are extensive views across to Cannock Chase.
We left the towpath by bridge 72 and Navigation Farm and walked towards the Chase, crossing the river by Weetman’s bridge. Turning sharp right, we entered the Shugborough Estate through an inconspicuous gap in a hedge and walked through a wood, which is resplendent with bluebells in May. This is a permissive path, which is not shown on OS maps. Eventually we reached one of Shugborough’s hidden gems, an ornate railway bridge. The Anson family were not keen on the railway passing through their land, and this was one of several embellishments built by the engineers as compensation. Hadrian’s
Arch is famous and visible from afar, but few visitors venture to see this monument, known simply as Lichfield Drive Bridge. According to English Heritage it was built in 1847 and is a “closed spandrel elliptical arch bridge made of brick” – I trust any architects amongst you will correct that description as required! We continued ahead, away from the crowds by The Walled Gardens, across grassland, with a distant view of Shugborough Hall to our left. We reached a dark copse and stumbled across some pillars and rusty railings in the undergrowth that marked the entrance to the derelict iron bridge that crosses the canal at Great Haywood. Shortly afterwards we were back at the famous Essex Bridge, which we crossed to bring us back to The Clifford Arms, where we enjoyed refreshment.
Clive Walker
12th July 2023
IWA Press Release re CRT Funding Cuts
GOVERNMENT’S WATERWAYS FUNDING CUTS WILL HIT UK ECONOMY, ECOLOGY AND HEALTH. Britain’s oldest, leading independent waterways campaign group today warned of the loss of thousands of jobs, health and wellbeing benefits and nature habitats if our canals and rivers fall into disrepair due to government funding cuts. Inland Waterways Association (IWA) volunteers stopped the canal network from being concreted over in the 1950s and, since then, have supported and helped the restoration of 500 miles of navigable waterways with the opportunity to transform another 500 miles. It’s estimated that 80,000 jobs are directly connected to Britain’s waterways, from canal side cafes to major housing, sporting and leisure developments, which collectively contribute £1.5 billion annually to the economy. IWA is now urging the public to write to their MPs to object to the Government’s announcement that it will reduce its maintenance and repair grant funding by more than £300 million in real terms over the next decade. The Association’s National Chair, Les Etheridge, said: “Our waterways system is in very real danger of disappearing. If parts of the network fall into disrepair or close, this will be at the cost of the hundreds if not thousands of businesses that rely daily on
waterways users.” He emphasised that DEFRA has cut funding at a time when the bill for maintaining these precious assets is actually growing exponentially, not falling, due to climate change and inflation: “Adverse weather events such as hot dry spells and storms have already damaged heritage buildings and structures and resulted in alarming rises in fish deaths in canals, where still water is particularly vulnerable to oxygen depletion. At a time like this, the Government should be protecting nature and wildlife, not turning its back on it.” DEFRA’s reduced grant allocation to the Canal & River Trust, the body responsible for managing and maintaining 2000 miles of UK waterways, has come in spite of much evidence accepted by the Government showing that blue-green spaces deliver substantial benefits to the economy, to individuals and communities, and to nature and biodiversity. IWA CEO, Professor Sarah Niblock, said: “We’re representing the needs of millions of people in the UK who rely on the waterways for their mental and physical health as well as for work, commuting and leisure. “Among the people who will be worst hit by any decline will be those who are already most vulnerable such as those living in deprived areas, most of which have waterways running through them. In urban areas, the waterways offer some of the only glimpses of nature we get as well as a space for different parts of the community to interact.” The Environment Agency, which is funded mainly by DEFRA, received less than half the expected grant in aid funding which pays for their operational staff, maintenance work and major asset improvement or replacement projects. Prof Niblock added: “Our inland waterways offer an incredible solution to many societal challenges – economic regeneration, addressing the mental health crisis, building community cohesion as well as mitigating the effects of climate change. The cost-benefit analysis of investment is irrefutable but it’s as if the government is now turning its back on this.” All of Britain’s waterways require considerable investment to maintain but, with some canals dating back 250 years, ageing infrastructure and the growing impact of climate change will lead to increasing repair backlogs and inevitable closures of sections of the waterways. Mr Etheridge said: “We’re already seeing increasing and extended levels of closures and each one of those impacts businesses relying on passing trade.” The DEFRA offer of £400m over 10 years averages out as grant funding of £40m per year from 2028-2037,
compared with the current £52.6m per year. At the level of spend on operating, maintaining and repairing waterways reported by CRT for 2021/22, IWA estimates that with an average grant reduction of £12.6m per year, the funding cuts would mean:
• being unable to do winter maintenance on 586 miles of waterway
• being unable to operate, maintain and repair 156 miles of waterway
• that 50% of the spend on reservoirs will be unfunded.
Mr Etheridge said that the renaissance and popularity of the waterways is due in no small part to the work of tireless campaigners and volunteers over the past 75 yearsplus, but that could soon be consigned to history.
IWA has joined forces with over 50 other organisations in a major campaign to attempt to improve the funding for all our precious waterways. Details of this campaign can be found on the IWA website or just by Googling “Fund Britain’s Waterways”. The campaign cruise at the Mailbox in Birmingham City centre, is at noon on Sunday, 13th August 2023.
If you would like to be part of this momentous occasion, please come along by foot or by boat to lend your support. Volunteers are also required to assist with marshalling the fleet, please contact ivor.caplan@waterways.org.uk if you can help with this. Boat entry is free but please register your intent to attend by completing a boat entry form https://waterways.org.uk/support/ways-to-get-involved/events/fund-britainswaterways-birmingham-campaign-cruise (in order to assist the planning) or email fbw.birmingham@waterways.org.uk.”
Your Lichfield branch committee has recently been in discussion about our monthly public meetings, because since the Covid pandemic, numbers attending them haven’t returned to the pre-pandemic levels.
It may be that people are now out of the habit of going out, but we also feel that the parking issues at our current venue (Martin Heath Hall) might be a factor, something which has been mentioned to us on a number of occasions. Namely the shortage of parking spaces due to the other activities going on there as well as it being so dark in the car park, both of which might be putting people off going.
Some of the other activities in the building are supposed to finish at 7pm but often over-run slightly, and this is what causes the parking problem, so for the September to November meetings we are going to begin at a slightly later time of 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start, by which time a lot more parking spaces should have become available
We would like to attract more members to the meetings, as well as visitors who will potentially become members, and in the event that the outcome of this time change at Martin Heath Hall isn’t successful, we may in future consider moving to a different venue in order to enhance the experience for members and guests attending meetings. This might be for just one meeting initially in order to try it out, and we would welcome feedback from you on this matter please.
Currently we are looking at Fradley Village Hall as a possible alternative, which has;
• A similar central location for our membership to our current venue.
• Easy to get to (close to the A38).
• Plenty of well lit parking spaces.
• Easy access into the building from the car park, and to the facilities from within.
• A larger hall, with a partition for a separate large area to mix and socialise before the presentation and during the refreshment break.
• Excellent acoustics with the option of amplification for the speaker if required. Flexible seating options – either ‘theatre style’ or a more social and informal ‘tables and chairs’ arrangement.
We are also considering broadening the range of subjects for our meetings, still predominantly related to waterways but sometimes around the periphery of them. An example being ‘CAMRA, 50 years of success saving Real Ale’ for our forthcoming January 2024 meeting, a talk by CAMRA about trying to prevent the gradual demise of
our pubs and hostelries.
We, your committee, would really value your opinions and would be very grateful if you would let us know your thoughts about both of these proposals, either in person at our meetings and social events, or by phone, or an email to me at Neil.Barnett@waterways.org.uk
Neil Barnett Vice ChairmanThe IWA Festival of Water will this year be held at Pelsall over the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 26th – 28th). You may be aware that this festival is run entirely by volunteers. The team preparing for the event is looking for extra volunteers to ensure that it is a success. In particular, they would like to hear from anyone who could assist with selling space to stall holders and exhibitors. The aim of the festival is to highlight the waterways and the restoration projects in the area. It is essential that any event run by our charity should at the very least “break even” financially. This is only possible if we have a wide and varied selection of traders booked into the event in advance. Achieving this is essential and preparatory work is the key. The more exhibitors and traders at the festival, the more attractive it becomes to visitors so this aspect of preparation for the event is absolutely crucial. Whilst we have some regular stall holders who join us every year, finding new and interesting stall-holders keeps the event alive so if you are interested in helping to “sell space” or to help in co-ordinating this effort please contact John Butler john.butler@waterways.org.uk Nearer the event, people will be needed to distribute leaflets and place banners and posters around the area. Volunteers will also be needed on site to help set up. If you would like to register an interest in any aspect of this, without committing yourself in any way, please contact me: helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk or phone for a chat on 01543 491161.
Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Helen Whitehouse West Midlands Region ChairmanAs well as the Festival of Water being in our area there is the Brownhills Festival in August (19th/20th) and in September the Huddlesford Festival (23rd to 24th) both organised by Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (L&H). There will be an IWA stand at Brownhills promoting the Festival of Water and a Lichfield Branch sales and recruitment stand at Huddlesford. If anybody can assist at either of these events it would be of great help.
Please contact Helen on helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk or phone 01543 491161.
Some of our volunteers were in action in April, helping fellow member Neil Barnett to move his stricken narrowboat from Kings Bromley Marina to Great Haywood to have a new engine installed.
Many of you know about Neil and wife Christine’s regular exploits in their narrowboat on some of our more challenging waterways, and his particular penchant for tidal estuaries. Unfortunately their Severn Estuary trip last year was probably the final straw for his beleaguered 28 year old BMC 1.8 engine.
As Neil says “It’s done nearly 14,000 hours, half of which the previous owners had accrued.” “We’ve cruised most of the canal system and rivers, the whole length of the Manchester Ship Canal, the River Mersey, the Ribble Link, Thames Tideway through London (twice), and the Tidal Trent and River Ouse, plus a few other rivers, so we’ve worked the ‘old girl’ hard over the years”.
Ironically, and thankfully, their engine finally expired on the calm waters of the Trent & Mersey at Wolseley Bridge, and they managed to limp back to their berth in Kings Bromley Marina before the engine gave up completely.
Neil joked “I’m so glad it didn’t pack up last year when we were in the Bristol Channel because I don’t think the French customs officers would have taken too kindly to us arriving over there without our passports!”
So on a sunny but very windy day in April they set out from the marina, expertly towed by Lichfield members Gordon & Heather Blackmore with both narrowboats close coupled together using cross straps. A traditional working ‘butty’ has a huge rudder which allows it to be steered when under tow. Unfortunately the tiny (in comparison) rudder on a modern narrowboat offers very little steering without the thrust of the propeller wash passing by it.
With a combined length of 124ft, each boat being 62ft long, and the lack of steering for Neil’s towed boat, it made for some quite challenging moments on the journey, particularly when negotiating tight bends, through narrows, or when meeting oncoming boats. Neil said “I thought it best to have some help. With an ineffective rudder I feared that the back end of my boat might sway about, especially with the 18mph winds. This proved to be the case and I was so grateful to be assisted by fellow IWA members Jeff Steele, Mike Wilcock, and Ron Gillett, my colleagues who also carry out the winter offside vegetation cutting.”
Jeff and Ron were deployed on the stern deck with Neil, and Mike on the foredeck. They were able to help ‘steer’ his boat with the use of poles, and fending off by hand to push away from moored boats or to hop off and push the boat away from the towpath edge.
It took nearly 7 hours to do the 11 miles and 2 locks, and apart from a few minor scratches to the cabin sides from protruding offside vegetation (now there’s an irony), and a slightly damaged wooden rooftop storage box, the sometimes nerve-racking journey went well.
The towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal between Great Haywood and Milford is being repaired and resurfaced, and the results so far are looking good (see photo provided by CRT). The work is being carried out by Kier as contractors to CRT from temporary bases opposite Great Haywood Junction and at Tixall Lock,
with work boats being used to transport the towpath stone to this otherwise hard to access section.
The towpath improvement work is one of a number of projects being delivered as part of the Trent-Sow Parklands and Cannock Chase AONB HS2 Group’s Environmental Enhancement Programme funded by HS2 to deliver landscape and environmental benefits in the Trent Sow area as part of HS2’s Green Corridor programme. I represent IWA on the Trent-Sow Group to help minimise and mitigate the impacts of building HS2 on the canals and through the historic landscape of the Great Haywood area. Although the construction of this part of HS2 has recently been put back by 2 years, the ‘Connecting Towpaths’
project and other Environmental Enhancement projects in the Trent-Sow area are continuing.
The work started in early May, with the towpath closure to pedestrians having been recently extended until late August. One reason given for the delay being the need to raise sections of the path. Some parts of the towpath at Tixall Wide had long ago subsided below water level, with only the piling keeping the water in, and I have been asking CRT since 2013 at several user forums and through the Trent-Sow Group when they would repair this area. We have now been reassured that the areas with low freeboard will be raised to the right level before being resurfaced and the second photo from CRT shows this work in progress.
This will undoubtedly be a big improvement on the formerly muddy path so perhaps we can arrange one of our Autumn walks to take advantage of the newly refurbished towpath.
Phil SharpeThe Trent & Mersey Canal towpath through Rugeley has been much improved of late, but earlier this year we were concerned to see that recently erected signage at Leathermill Lane and by the Railway bridges was directing cyclists along the very narrow section of towpath at the visitor moorings near Tesco. Earlier information from the District Council had been that the parallel Love Lane would become the signed cycle path.
After contacting the Council and CRT a site meeting was arranged in February by CRT’s Enterprise Manager with the local CRT team and the County Council. This was very productive and agreed some changes to the signage that would have the desired effect of advising cyclists of the preferred route off the towpath. CRT undertook to produce and install the new signs and both Councils agreed to some improvements to Love Lane.
Although it has taken a few months, new signs are now in place saying: “Cyclists please consider alternate route to avoid narrow towpath”. We hope that this will help reduce any conflicts between moorers, walkers and cyclists on this popular but very narrow section of towpath, and are grateful to CRT for their understanding and actions.
Phil Sharpe
This report summarises the more significant of about 35 planning matters dealt with between early April and mid-July 2023. Further details are available on request. On the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal the use of fields near Milford
Aqueduct for dog exercise, that raised heritage and noise concerns, has been approved, although with amended plans that reduce the car parking near the canal from 14 to 4 spaces and time limits that prevent overnight use.
On the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood the land opposite the junction has been a grassy meadow since the canal was built 250 years ago. The iconic Junction Bridge 109 on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and both canals are Conservation Areas. But a proposed housing development on the field would significantly damage the setting of the towpath bridge at this historic junction. It is outside the Settlement Boundary for the village and contrary to the Local Plan Historic Environment policies and the Neighbourhood Plan, and should therefore be refused.
Part of the site is currently being used by CRT’s contractors Kier as a base and for loading materials to resurface the S&W Canal towpath between Great Haywood and Milford, but this is only temporary.
At The Mossley in Rugeley plans for housing on a garage site and scrub woodland would be largely screened by retaining existing trees along the towpath. One-way traffic lights are proposed over the narrow canal bridge but there has been no consideration of the heritage impact of signals on the bridge, or of pedestrian safety over the steep-sided hump-back canal bridge due to the increased traffic.
At Barton Marina both the block of motel units on the north side of the basin and the extended conservatory on the front of The Waterfront public house have been approved.
By the Coventry Canal at Heath Gap, Fradley the design of a large house we objected to has been changed from an overbearing mock-Tudor design to a lower profile Georgian / early Victorian design. The smaller, regularly spaced, arched top windows and a lower roofline are better in keeping with the canal’s vernacular architecture and the adjacent cottages.
At Polesworth the draft Neighbourhood Plan references the history and heritage assets of the Coventry Canal, but we suggested it should also aspire to fund
improvements to the very muddy section of towpath between bridges 53 and 54 (Market Street to Tamworth Road) and to the access at Steam Mill Bridge 53.
On the Ashby Canal adjacent to Trinity Marina in Hinckley, the design of the apartment blocks we had objected to has been amended. The height is reduced to 3 and some 2 storey units of brick and timber cladding with balconies and regular pitched roofs, giving a much improved appearance. Whilst we had no further objection, details of the canalside landscaping were still needed.
Adjoining the Anglesey Branch of the Wyrley & Essington Canal at Brownhills, an Outline application for a large development of warehouses and industrial units between Barracks Lane and the A5 would ruin the open rural outlook from the canal. Although it was a proposed site in the draft Black Country Plan this has since been discontinued and a new Walsall Local Plan is yet to be written, so the Green Belt status of the area remains and the application should be refused.
The HS2 (Crewe – Manchester) Bill Select Committee has been hearing evidence in recent months on the subsidence risks to the promoted route through the Cheshire brine field. A Ground Risk paper by HS2 in March admitted that Billinge Flash, on the Trent & Mersey Canal between Middlewich and Broken Cross, is the most subsidence affected area on the route. IWA is concerned that construction of the proposed high embankments and viaducts here could reactivate the subsidence and cause collapse of the canal. In written evidence to the Committee, IWA has suggested a series of questions that they should ask of HS2 on this and other matters not so far covered or insufficiently explained. The submission also proposes a local diversion of the route to the east, avoiding the major subsidence hazard around Billinge Flash, and avoiding the need for 2 of the 3 crossings of the canal, with significant cost savings. This alternative route would take it further away from Oakwood Marina with its liveaboard boating community, and reduce the visual and noise impacts of both construction and operation on the heritage, wildlife and recreational corridor of Trent & Mersey Canal and its users.
Phil Sharpe Planning OfficerLichfield Lines is the newsletter of IWA Lichfield Branch, it is produced 4 times a year to keep members informed about our forthcoming public meetings, walks, work parties and other activities, to provide reports on recent meetings and events, and to include articles of general interest to our members.
The editor, Peter Gurney, welcomes articles, letters or photographs of waterway activities in our Branch area which can be emailed to pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk (Please note there is a 35MB limit for emails with attachments sent via this address). The copy date for the next newsletter will be 15th October 2023, for publication in November.
Lichfield Lines is posted or emailed to about 350 Branch members. It can also be read and downloaded by anyone from the Branch website pages. If you would like to publicise your waterway related business to our members, and others that read the newsletter online, we can offer advertising space at the following rates:
Full Page - £20 inc VAT per issue
Half Page - £10 inc VAT per issue
Please contact the editor to discuss artwork and layout. By advertising you will help to sponsor IWA's charitable activities and reach potential customers who are all committed to the waterways.
The IWA has a range of corporate members some of whom offer discounts to members. The discount details can be found on the IWA website at https://waterways.org.uk/benefits
Corporate members in our area are
Lichfield Cruising Club 2000 Ltd
Stafford Boat Club Ltd
Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust
Ashby Canal Trust
Lichfield & Hatherton Canals
Restoration Trust
Canal Transport Services Ltd
River Canal Rescue Ltd
Midland Chandlers
Norton Canes Boat Services Ltd
Lakeland Leisure Estates Ltd
Longwood Boat Club
Ashby Canal Association
Tamworth Cruising Club
Ash Tree Boat Club
Countywide Cruisers (Brewood) Ltd
Elite Furnishings
Waterways World Ltd
Birmingham & Midland Marine Services
Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust
Stafford Riverway Link
All Leisure Boating Ltd
Please mention the IWA when contacting any of these Corporate Members.
Your Committee
Chairman
Tel: 01283 713125
Email: adrian.wedgwood@waterways.org.uk
Vice-Chairman
Tel: 07808 846434 or 07481259955
Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Treasurer
Tel: 01785 255101
Email: sue.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Secretary & Planning Officer
Tel: 01889 583330
Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Volunteer Coordinator & Membership
Tel: 07808 846434 or 07481259955
Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Navigation Officer
Tel: 07847 470112
Email: derek.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Social Secretary
Ex Officio: Region Chairman
also Branch Sales and External Talks (non- committee posts)
Tel : 01543 491161
Email: helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk
Non-committee posts
Newsletter and Website Editor
Tel: 01785 255101
Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Walks Coordinator
Email: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Social Media Editor
Email: Richard.curtis@waterways.org.uk
Branch Contact Address
Email: lichfield@waterways.org.uk
Adrian Wedgwood
Neil Barnett
Sue Gurney
Phil Sharpe
Neil Barnett
Derek Beardsmore
Position vacant
Helen Whitehouse
Pete Gurney
Clive Walker
Richard Curtis
