The Economic Impact of Restoring the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals
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The economic impact of restoring the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals A Report to British Waterways ECOTEC Research & Consulting Limited Priestley House 28-34 Albert Street Birmingham B4 7UD United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)121 616 3600 Fax: +44 (0)121 616 3699 Web: www.ecotec.com The economic impact of restoring the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals A Report to British Waterways C2641 Ref: 09/05/2014 Document3 ECOTEC Research and Consulting Limited Priestley House 13b Avenue de Tervuren 28-34 Albert Street B-1040 Brussels Birmingham B4 7UD Belgium United Kingdom Tel: +32 (0)2 743 8949 Tel: +44 (0)121 616 3600 Fax: +32 (0)2 743 7111 Fax: +44 (0)121 616 3699 Modesto Lafuente 63 – 6a Web: www.ecotec.com E-28003 Madrid E-mail: [email protected] Spain Tel: +34 91 535 0640 Fax: +34 91 533 3663 6-8 Marshalsea Road London SE1 1HL United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7089 5550 Fax: +44 (0)20 7089 5559 31-32 Park Row Leeds LS1 5JD United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)113 244 9845 Fax: +44 (0)113 244 9844 Contents Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 The Huddersfield Narrow Canal and Rochdale Canal- a brief history ............................... 9 1.2 Aims and Objectives of the Study .................................................................................... 11 1.3 Scope ................................................................................................................................ 11 1.4 Overview of Study Methodology ..................................................................................... 12 1.5 Report Structure ................................................................................................................ 13 2.0 The Tourism and Leisure market within the canal corridors ............................................... 14 2.1 Methodology and Scope ................................................................................................... 14 2.1.1 Methodological Issues ............................................................................................... 14 2.1.2 Business database ....................................................................................................... 17 2.1.3 Business survey .......................................................................................................... 20 2.1.4 Demand modelling ..................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Results and analysis: Rochdale Canal .............................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Analysis of number, type and location of different tourism and leisure businesses .. 23 2.2.2 Business Survey Results ............................................................................................ 24 2.2.3 Demand modelling: Rochdale Canal ......................................................................... 31 2.2.4 Summary of results .................................................................................................... 36 2.3 Results and Analysis: Huddersfield Narrow Canal .......................................................... 38 2.3.1 Analysis of number, type and location of different tourism and leisure businesses .. 38 2.3.2 Business survey results .............................................................................................. 38 2.3.3 Demand modelling ..................................................................................................... 45 2.3.4 Summary of results .................................................................................................... 48 2.4 Conclusions and key points .............................................................................................. 49 3.0 Property Developments Along the Canals ........................................................................... 56 3.1 Context and Scope ............................................................................................................ 56 3.2 Past and Future Property-Related Developments mapped by Local Authority ................ 58 3.2.1 Property Developments in Oldham District (Rochdale Canal) .................................. 58 3.2.2 Future Developments in Oldham ............................................................................... 61 3.2.3 Property Developments in Rochdale District ............................................................ 66 3.2.4 Future Property Developments in Rochdale .............................................................. 69 3.2.5 Property Developments in Calderdale ....................................................................... 77 3.2.6 Future Property Developments in Calderdale ............................................................ 81 3.2.7 Property Developments in Kirklees ........................................................................... 85 3.2.8 Future Property Developments in Kirklees ................................................................ 89 3.2.9 Property Developments in Oldham District (Huddersfield Narrow Canal)............... 95 3.2.10 Future Property Developments in Oldham (HNC) .................................................... 95 3.2.11 Property Developments in Tameside ......................................................................... 98 3.2.12 Future Property Developments in Tameside ............................................................ 101 3.2.13 Property Developments in Manchester .................................................................... 108 3.2.14 Future Property Developments in Manchester ........................................................ 112 3.3 Summary of Developments ............................................................................................ 117 3.4 The Impact of the Canal on Property Markets ............................................................... 118 3.4.1 Impacts of the Canal on Residential Property Developments ................................. 118 3.4.2 Impacts of the Canal on Other Types of Development ............................................ 120 3.5 Key Messages ................................................................................................................. 120 4.0 Summary of Economic Impact .......................................................................................... 125 4.1 Tourism and Leisure Impacts ......................................................................................... 125 4.1.1 Rochdale Canal ........................................................................................................ 125 4.1.2 Huddersfield Narrow Canal ..................................................................................... 126 4.2 Property Impacts ............................................................................................................. 127 4.2.1 Rochdale Canal ........................................................................................................ 127 4.2.2 Huddersfield Canal .................................................................................................. 129 4.3 Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 130 5.0 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 132 Appendix A: Business Questionnaire Appendix B: Database of Tourism and Leisure Businesses Appendix C: Tourism Demand Model Appendix D: Summary of ex ante studies The economic impact of restoring the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Scope and Purpose Following a long period of decline and abandonment, the Rochdale Canal and Huddersfield Narrow Canal (HNC) were both restored to full navigation in 2001/2. The return to full navigation of the canals was the culmination of almost two decades of planning, fund-raising and engineering works. The restoration of the two canals was anticipated to bring significant economic benefits to the towns, cities and communities adjoining. The economic benefits were expected to result particularly from the increased opportunities for tourism and leisure alongside the canals, and the increased attractiveness of canalside sites for commercial investment. The aims of this piece of work are to assess the extent of economic benefits that have resulted from the restorations of the two canals to date, and also to provide an indication of further economic benefits which are likely to be felt in the near term. Given that the restoration projects have been completed comparatively recently, one of the most useful purposes of the report is to provide a post-restoration baseline against which future canalside economic activity can be assessed. Methodology There are two key sections of this report: One looks at the impact of the canal restorations on tourism and leisure activity within the canal corridors; The other maps all commercial property developments that have taken place alongside the canals since 1990, and provides an assessment of the degree to which these developments are dependent on the canals. The section on tourism and leisure activity (Section 2 of the report) uses both demand-side and supply-side analyses to provide a robust assessment of tourism and leisure activity associated with the canals. The demand-side analysis involves estimating the number of visits