regeneration We explore the importance of planning with IWA West London Branch
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lanning has been a key consideration for IWA from the beginning when mid-20th-century development threatened the very existence of our canals into the leisure age. Boating and the right to navigation were the levers to keep the canals open and the early campaigners saw the waterways as a national resource, a corridor open to all that connected rural areas with urban environments. As a constantly evolving city, London is beset with planning applications for new and expanding developments every year, some of which have a direct or indirect impact on the waterways and the people who use them. For each application that has ramifications for the canals within a branch area, the documents – sometimes running to a hundred pages or more – are examined and a response provided on behalf of IWA where necessary. West London Branch covers the Grand Union Canal from Stockers Lock to Brentford, plus the Slough and Paddington arms, and while totalling just 36 miles, these waterways pass through nine different local authorities and 23 Conservation Areas, and 15 miles of canal are within Green Belt areas.
New pressures Today new developments and expanding transport infrastructure in London, such as the impending HS2 rail network and the expansion of Heathrow Airport, threaten the aesthetics and heritage of our waterways landscape, while new pressures caused by increasing population density and the repurposing of towpaths as walking and cycling routes for commuters jeopardise the integrity of urban canals. Along the 13-mile Paddington Arm, for example, there are targets for anywhere between 50,000 and 100,000 new homes over the next 20 years, and when looking at the impact on the waterway the influence from catchment areas beyond the line of the canal also has to be taken into account. Current towpath upgrades aim for a 2m-wide surfaced area with a 0.5m verge either side, but for how long will that be sufficient to accommodate the amount of traffic? Environmental impacts are also on IWA’s list of priorities and the Association is looking at ways in which it can increase the biodiversity net gain of not only its own restoration works through the Waterway Recovery Group, but that of developers’ work along the canals too. We are always trying to go beyond mitigation and find ways to contribute towards reducing environmental degradation. New legislation will require mitigation but where IWA is involved in improvements along the waterways, we may be able to bank these and offer them to developers to offset losses elsewhere.
Sustainability The majority of planning applications are not concerned with the waterspace but IWA is always looking at ways in which it can influence planning or the use of funding to support sustainable boating now and in the future while, at the same time continuing to preserve the heritage of our inland waterways. There has to be a balanced approached – IWA is not here to stop development, which is not only inevitable but, in some cases, required. Every major development needs looking at from the perspective of a boater and, perhaps more importantly, a towpath user or local person. In reality, the vast majority of applications are small-scale projects, and there are very few that are formally objected to by IWA. Both Ray Gill and Roger Still have led the West London Branch on planning matters over the last few years, and IWA would like to thank them for their hard work. We’re looking to expand the number of planning officers across all of our branches, and if this is a role that appeals to you, please contact jenny.morris@waterways.org.uk. You do not need to have a background in planning, just an enthusiasm for the subject.
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CASE STUDY ONE
Uxbridge Moor Conservation Area
In 2014 a planning application was submitted for new housing on the Grand Union Canal at Waterloo Wharf (close to Dolphin Bridge 186) and within the Uxbridge Moor Conservation Area. The apartment complex would replace a covered timber warehouse next to Uxbridge Dock – the historically significant Fellows, Morton & Clayton boatyard, which is still in use today. The initial proposals were objected to as noise from the boatyard could have affected the proposed residential development, leading to restrictions being imposed on the boatyard and thereby threatening its future viability. The planning officers also commented on the design of the apartments, which went through several iterations. The final design was accepted in 2017, featuring a small commercial area between the housing and the boatyard to act as a buffer, and the developer paid to have the roof of the dock re-covered and insulated to further mitigate any noise.
Before: the timber warehouse at Uxbridge Moor was earmarked for development as housing in 2014. After: West London Branch had its say on the design of the new apartments at Uxbridge Moor, and highlighted the need to mitigate the impact of noise from the nearby boatyard.
Winter 2020 22/10/2020 08:32
