Project Officers Group

Notes of Meeting 21/05/15

Attendees – Vaughan Welch (IWA), Geraint Coles (IWA), Rachel Walker (CRT Pocklington), Alan Johnson (Wey & Arun), Richard Dommett (Mon & Brec), Ken Oliver (Wilts and Berks), Ken Burgin (Cotswolds), Geoff Pursglove (Ashby Canal), Bernie Jones (Shrewsbury & Newport), Lucie Hoelmer (CRT Grantham,), Jason Leach (CRT), Julia Tinker (CRT), Kate Langley (CRT).

Apologies- Mike Stone (Grantham), Susan White (Derbyshire County Council), David Hennessey (Montgomery Canal).

1.Welcome and Introductions

2.Notes from last meeting

Term of references update Re-send terms of reference to 3 new groups. KL/JT Add Bernie Jones to the list of members. KL/JT

Bridge designs Les Clark (LC) has put together a file of historic bridge designs which will be made available. NRG will consider how best to make the resources available so that they can NRG be accessed easily. JL has drawings for Droitwich which can be stored online. Important to consider who will be building the bridge as this may affect what material and techniques you use. It can be useful to have a consultation with planners to show design sketches. The Chesterfield Partnership documents contain some small non engineering designs. These can be found at http://www.chesterfield-canal- partnership.co.uk/downloads.html JL BJ- is looking for original drawings of Forton Aqueduct as it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM), and for design guidance for a drop lock- CRT will provide sketches. Suggestions for finding original diagrams if it is a SAM  House of Lords- bills, routes, alignments, lists of landowners.  Archaeological societies- could help to find original drawings.  National Railway Museum- many canals were owned by railway companies.  Reference library in Birmingham. JL has an outline for a drop lock on the Montgomery which he will send to BJ. LC has cross section drawings from the Monty that could be of use. NRG It would be useful to find diagrams of cross section for towpaths. ACTIONS  Find bridge drawings  Decide on best way to share documents.

3. CDM 2015 Updated guidance was circulated for changes to CDM. 4.Restoration Projects Updates Wey & Arun (AJ) The canal is in multiple private ownership with some owner’s supporting the project. Work will focus on 3 sites simultaneously this summer:  A Lock  Building a bridge  Creating a nature park, which will be done with volunteers including the construction of an inland pier into the park. There are 3003 members who have been generous in their donations. The group finds that the more work they do and the more they tell people about the work they are doing the more support they get. The trip boat- carried 11,000 people last year. A new visitor centre is also planned. Wey & Arun have cordial relations with locals through being open and honest.

Mon & Brec (RD) 750 members The group has a Regeneration Partnership-memorandum of understanding to keep council on board. Physical restoration started in 1999. The Water Works project,) will see the restoration of 8 locks through a community project which engages with younger members of society (NEETs). 40% of people involved in the scheme go on to find employment. The Trust has worked with University of Swansea to design a modular gate system which reflects the design of a traditional wooden gate – but it will outlast an oak lock gate. RD to present lock gates at next meeting. RD

Pocklington (RW) In the development phase of the HLF project, with a submission in Nov 15 and a decision will be made on by March next year. The canal is 9.5 miles long and has 3 triple SSSI’s in a row. The project is to get the SSSI’s into favourable condition, improve interpretation and increase volunteers. The emerging activity plan will have to take into account the conservation management plan. Pock Canal Soc are fundraising to open up another 2 miles of canal.

Cotswold (KB) Currently preparing a round 1 HLF bid for phase 1B, which will be for £20 million, with £5million match and include a high level of volunteering. If successful CCT will be the lead partners and will be the first canal society to lead on a major waterway restoration project. Phase 1A is nearing completion, Volunteers are working on most of the locks that are left. They are making very good progress as it is taking around a month to construct a lock.

VW The State of the Nation Survey has been launched with completed returns by the end of the month. The ‘Acting Safely’ video has been launched and is now online.

CDM regulations.

Grantham (LH) So far £830,000 have been secured for the project. Work is now going into planning the projects and how the site can be effectively managed. The governance has a number of sub-groups are moving separate projects forward. The project is managed by CRT. LH is dealing with funding and securing more money for the project. In the middle of June the site will be set up for work to begin on the first lock.

Ashby (GP) Re-building a new bridge in concrete which will be clad in original bricks. Asbhy Canal Trust has been asked simulate boat movements four times a week for the off line reserve someone to GP raised the point that some of the language in the new CDM regulations may be open to interpretation and needs to be clearly defined.

Shrewsbury & Newport (BJ) The group is completing a round 2 HLF application for a £1 million grant for the project. Currently £380,000 match funding short. In a bid to fill the shortfall the group has paintings for sale. 1254 members in the group. Some landowners have a statement on their contracts saying that they will sell back the land at the original price- could be useful to have a session on this?

Wilts & Berks (KO) Canal restoration work being done around the land fill site due to receiving a land fill grant. Working with Waitrose as there is an idea to build a landing stage outside the shop for trips boats. Melksham Link- intention to create urban development at £20 million. Negotiations will be carried out with the local authority to see if they will be a stakeholder. Oxfordshire local authority have not included the restoration scheme in the local plan. W&BCT may challenge this on grounds of ‘the duty to co-operate’.

Chesterfield (GC) Good progress with Staveley Town Lock which is being done through contractors and volunteers. Current focus on section below Staveley town bridge. Positive discussions around HS2. Growing level of support at Kiveton. Rother Valley Link is looking more realistic- with a level support from N.E partnership.

5. Environmental Impact Assessments (Paul Wilkinson) Paul Wilkinson gave a presentation on EIA’s and then answered questions.  Are conservation sites ever declassified? Not heard of it happening, but Natural England are the people to ask. PW suggests that rather than getting something de-classified it can be useful to turn it into a positive- so saying that the restoration would create so many miles of new SSSI and arguing that you are extending habitat.  Local landowners are encouraged to leave buffers, work to get the whole corridor to work together. Buffers stop run offs.  BJ points out that Water Vole Association did have money to fund projects that increased water vole habitat. Funding is out there to increase species habitat. GC made the point that restoration of canals can tap into a solution for climate change as restoration of waterways are creating networks so that species can move and react to changes. This could be a good angle for funding applications.

6. Seminars What seminars would be useful moving forward? LH- capacity building- to help trusts to be set up to attract new members. GC increased membership at Chesterfield via competitions between different groups involved in the project. BJ- it would be worth sharing how to get in touch with people who are interested. GC- bringing in people who have built up organisations before and can share their experience with us could be useful.

It was agreed that next meeting would be extended to a full day, with the project offices group meeting in the morning and then an afternoon session on capacity building. Agreed that Hatton would be the location.