restoration HUB:
Waterways in Progress grant projects
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CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST
Rewatering Renishaw Phase 1a Grant allocated: £50,000 In 2010, approximately 500m of the Chesterfield Canal channel was restored through Renishaw, Derbyshire, as part of a housing development. However, due to various issues, the stretch proved to be unuseable and delivered little benefit to the newly created community on the housing estate and wider Renishaw community. Now the Rewatering Renishaw project seeks to transform and extend the derelict channel into a permanent waterspace that local people can celebrate and enjoy. The project is part of Phase 1 of the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s ambition to restore the canal to full navigation by 2027, the 250th anniversary of the canal’s original opening. The complete Phase 1 works will extend the current limit of navigation from the town of Staveley to the village of Renishaw, and include the construction of three new accommodation bridges, four new bridleway bridges, a lock, a railway overbridge, an aqueduct and approximately 5km of new or restored channel. The entire Phase 1 of the project will take several years to complete and require over £4m to
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WA’s 2019 Waterways in Progress report sought to demonstrate how well-thoughtout, partial restoration initiatives can start to deliver benefits right from day one. We followed this up in May 2019 by launching a new grant offering waterway organisations up to £100,000 to assist in funding a project or projects which promote the Waterways in Progress vision and values. The grant has been made possible by legacies that have been left to the Association. Two big objectives of the report were to encourage local authorities at every level across the country to consider having at least one named member of staff responsible for the promotion and development of navigable and derelict waterways within their constituency, and to promote the idea of restoration works for today. The scale of many restorations – especially in terms of the funding needed and construction skills required – could stop progress in its tracks. However, if restoration groups can focus on smaller-scale projects that start bringing about positive changes from day one, benefits including local awareness and community support lead to the larger issues feeling more surmountable. A key requirement for any organisation applying for the grant was that their project would start to deliver right from day one – and while the project did not have to necessarily deliver more miles of waterways it had to focus on wider benefits, such as creating partnerships, engaging communities and inspiring key stakeholders, as well as delivering on at least one of the key Waterways in Progress themes: • Channelling Regeneration – projects which bring economic benefits to the local area • Promoting Personal Development & Well-being – encouraging people to get out and about for both physical and mental health benefits as well as volunteering and learning new skills • Creating Community Spaces – projects which build social cohesion and instil civic pride • Enhancing Heritage & Habitats – the delivery of environmental benefits and/or the preservation of history and tradition for the benefit of future generations. The Waterways in Progress Grant was launched at IWA’s Parliamentary Reception in 2019 and received 28 expressions of interest from 27 different waterways groups. Seven projects were invited to progress to stage two of the process and asked to submit more detailed applications for assessment. Four projects were successful. The Ashby Canal Association application was announced in the Spring 2020 issue of Waterways magazine.
be raised. The works at Renishaw (Phase 1a) can be completed much earlier and provide lasting benefits to the community long before either the Phase 1 works are completed, or it forms part of a fully restored waterway. This lasting and standalone benefit from an interim restoration stage is a prime example of the Waterways in Progress philosophy. The grant, with additional funding from Chesterfield Canal Trust and Derbyshire County Council, will allow the trust to undertake the following Phase 1a work: • 550m of canal channel re-profiled to navigable standards • 1,050m of canal channel relined using a geosynthetic clay liner • 250m of stone gabions installed in the canal banks and waterproofed by casting a concrete face up to the water level • Clinker Wood side weir restored and a temporary pumping system provided to supply water from the River Rother to the canal • 550m of towpath resurfaced, making it suitable for pedestrians and cyclists. The current path is virtually impassable despite being the official public right of way.
Currently, the restored channel of the Chesterfield Canal through Renishaw does not benefit the local community.
Winter 2020 22/10/2020 08:30
