Heritage champions

Join IWA’s new scheme to help protect our historic canals and rivers

IWA is concerned that historic waterways are falling through the gaps of heritage protection. There is no national view of waterways in Conservation Areas, and structures near canals and rivers with conservation status. Similarly, there is no standard approach for how waterways are (or in many cases are not) included within Conservation Areas. Waterways heritage structures – such as lock-keepers’ co ages, pumping stations, bridges and boa ards – can be le to the mercy of local approaches to planning and heritage conservation. We want to make sure that all the waterways have the planning protection they deserve.

Complicated conservation

Conservation status is patchy across Britain’s canals and rivers. For example, along the southern Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire the whole stretch is a Conservation Area, but in Buckinghamshire the Conservation Area status is only applicable where the canal runs through villages that are Conservation Areas. In the Borough of Hillingdon, it is only the locks and some bridges that have Conservation Area status. So, there is no consistent approach for ensuring the protection of Britain’s industrial heritage.

Your local waterway

We want to know if your local waterway and the built heritage that surrounds it are protected. Whether it’s a Conservation Area or a listed structure, protection status enables local authorities to actively prevent deterioration and loss of our unique heritage. It’s o en the last line of defence.

There are additional benefi ts too. A report commissioned by English Heritage in 2012*, suggests that Conservation Area status helps to create a sense of placebased identi , encourages communi cohesion and promotes regeneration.

Once we know where the gaps are, we can work more closely with local communities and planning authorities to campaign for Conservation Area status and the protection of structures where they’re needed. Having this view helps us to proactively work with planning authorities to give waterways the protection they deserve.

Get involved

You can help protect waterways heritage. Join our communi of heritage champions to fi nd out more, get access to exclusive events and articles, or donate to support the project – fi nd out more at waterways. org.uk/heritagechampions.

*An assessment of the e ects of conservation areas on value by Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt, Nancy Holman and Nicolai Wendland.

Engineers carrying out the structural survey on Aberdulais Aqueduct. Aberdulais Aqueduct on the Tennant Canal restoration project is a Grade II*-listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument. Its protection status has saved it from demolition, and IWA is campaigning for fl ood damage to be repaired.

Case study:

A plan to save Aberdulais Aqueduct

Aberdulais Aqueduct in south Wales is an example of heritage at risk. The climate emergency and historic neglect of the aqueduct have dramatically combined and caused signifi cant damage to the structure in recent years. It is now under serious threat of disappearing om the landscape forever.

Thankfully, its conservation status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade II*-listed structure has allowed IWA, working closely with the Neath & Tennant Canals Trust, to campaign for its repair. A recent structural survey means we’re now a step closer to saving Aberdulais Aqueduct.

Our campaign to save the aqueduct has involved conversations with Natural Resources Wales and the local council. There are concerns that both organisations would support the removal of the aqueduct to alleviate local fl ooding issues. We have had meetings with CADW and the owners of the aqueduct. We are also supporting NTCT to rebuild relationships with residents and work with the ‘Save the Tennant Canal’ group to create further pressure at a local level.

In August 2021 we successfully applied for a CADW grant to cover the cost of a structural survey of the aqueduct. This was needed to get a be er idea of the scale of the repair work and potential cost implications. Mann Williams, who specialises in creative conservation of historic buildings and structures, undertook the survey. Once we have the results, we will plan the next stage of our campaign to save this heritage gem.

There are, however, many more structures like this needing protection om insensitive development, damage and demolition.