The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy DECEMBER 2011 The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy 2 December 2011 City of Edinburgh Council City Development The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Contents The edinburgh union Canal STraTegy 3 ince its re-birth as part of the Millennium Link Project the Union Canal has come a long way from a derelict ConTents 3 S backwatero t become one of Edinburgh’s most important heritage, recreational and community assets. The Union Canal is now enjoyed on a daily basis by people from across the city and beyond for a variety of uses such baCkground 4 as boating, rowing, walking, cycling and fishing. The edinburgh union Canal STraTegy key aimS and objectiveS 5 The Union Canal is also a focus for new development, They Cit of Edinburgh Council (CEC) and British Current Context 7 particularly at Fountainbridge, for new canal boat Waterways Scotland (BWS) have prepared this strategy SCoTland’S CanalS 9 moorings and marinas and for canal-focused for the Union Canal within the Edinburgh area to The union Canal in edinburgh 9 community activities. However, as the canal is guide its development and to promote a vision of the history and heriTage 10 developed, it must also be protected and its potential place we wish the Union Canal to be. Planning and develoPmenT 11 maximised for the for the benefit of the wider community and environment. environmenT and biodiverSiTy 12 movemenT and ConnectiviTy 13 CommuniTy and TouriSm 14 The Strategy 15 “The Union Canal is one of Edinburgh’s hidden gems. We hope this Strategy opporTuniTy 1 - access To The union Canal 16 will allow more of our citizens to appreciate and benefit from its beauty as well as the economic development potential it provides.” opporTuniTy 2 - WaTerWay, develoPmenT and environmenT 18 opporTuniTy 3 - CommuniTy, reCreaTion and TouriSm 20 Councillor Tim McKay, Edinburgh Canal Champion opporTuniTy 4 - infrastructure, drainage, ClimaTe Change 22 The Canal Hubs 23 “The publication of the new Edinburgh Canal Strategy is a major milestone in the renaissance of the raTho 26 two hundred year old Union Canal. Wester haileS - The CalderS 28 The draft strategy was very well received during the consultation process. It proved what an - haileS quarry Park 29 increasingly important role the canal plays within the capital and the appetite everyone has for - ToWn CenTre 30 making it a vibrant and unique place to work, live or play. meggeTland 32 We now look forward to building on the consultation, working with the City of Edinburgh Council harriSon Park 34 and local waterside communities to bring this exciting vision to life.” loChrin baSin 36 Steve Dunlop, Director, British Waterways (Scotland) Delivery Plan 39 City of Edinburgh Council City Development December 2011 3 The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Background In early 2010 the Edinburgh Canal Development Group initiated the preparation T of a strategy for the Union Canal within the City’s administrative boundaries. A series of focus group meetings followed with local and community councillors, the canal community user groups and stakeholder bodies such as SEPA and Sustrans, to discuss the Union Canal, which led to the to preparation of an Edinburgh Canal Strategy Consultation Document in September 2010. The Consultation Document set out a number of questions, the aim of which was to discuss how to make the Union Canal into a recognisable place whilst identifying issues to be taken forward in the resultant Draft Canal Strategy. Between October and December 2010 a number of consultation events were held to discuss the questions set out within the Consultation Document. The key aim of the consultation exercise was to explore the opportunities and issues with a range of stakeholders whilst promoting community involvement in the current and future use of the Union Canal. In May 2011, the draft Edinburgh Canal Strategy was prepared for public consultation. The draft Strategy set out a series of opportunities for development and a hub strategy around which development could be based. Between June and August, a number of further public consultation events were held, including at the annual Edinburgh Canal Festival, the aim of which was to: • develop further ideas on how to improve the use of the canal as an asset of the city through the ‘opportunities’ outlined within the Strategy • identify whether consultees agree/disagree with the proposed ‘Hub Strategy’ and consider the hubs in are the right place and have the right objectives; • gather views on increasing the use of the water space along the canal, canal-side development proposals, and access points and, • To consider whether anything was missing from the Strategy or should be removed. Following the consultation, this final Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy has now been prepared. The Strategy and its accompanying Delivery Plan now set out policies and proposals which aim to make the Union Canal into a successful and recognisable place. 4 December 2011 City of Edinburgh Council City Development The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Key Aims and Objectives T he Key Aims and Objectives of the Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy are to: • Set out the aspirations of the Council, British Waterways (Scotland), and other partner organisations in relation to the Union Canal within the Edinburgh boundary and in relation to the wider canal network; • Identify and set out the key heritage, community and environmental considerations as a basis for the future protection of the Canal as it develops; • Ensure that there is a balance between the creation and stimulation of a lively canal culture and increased use of the canal towpath and waterspace, as well as protecting the environment in terms of wildlife and biodiversity as well as existing communities; • Present opportunities for development along the length of the Union Canal within the Edinburgh boundary and the creation of 7 canal hubs; • Establish clear planning and environmental policies and guidance for developing beside or on the canal; and, • Set out a Delivery Plan for the future development of the canal. © Grant Ritchie - www.photosofedinburgh.co.uk © Grant Canal Barge Canal City of Edinburgh Council City Development December 2011 5 The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy www.photosofedinburgh.co.uk Lochrin Basin © Grant Ritchie www.photosofedinburgh.co.uk 6 December 2011 City of Edinburgh Council City Development The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Current Context City of Edinburgh Council City Development December 2011 7 The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy 8 December 2011 City of Edinburgh Council City Development The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Current Context Scotland’s Canals Scotland’s canal network is over 200 years old and travels for 137 miles from Loch Ness in the north to Fort William and Glasgow in the west, via Falkirk to Edinburgh in the East. The Scottish canal network is a national and international asset, not just for its recreational value, but as for its important industrial heritage. The Scottish canal network is made up of 5 canals, in the Highlands - the Caledonian and the Crinan, and in the Lowlands - the Monkland, the Forth and Clyde and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union, known more simply as The Union Canal. The Union Canal In Edinburgh The Union Canal in Edinburgh runs for 16km between and through the communities of Ratho, Wester Hailes, Longstone, Craiglockhart, Merchiston, Polwarth and Tollcross, terminating at Fountainbridge in the city centre. The canal also passes Harrison Park, Meggetland and Hailes Park, and crosses over the Water of Leith via the 180m long Slateford Aqueduct. The Union Canal is not just a heritage asset for Edinburgh, but also a navigable waterway for boating, an important wildlife habitat, a walking, jogging and cycling route, and a focus for new canal side development and for local community use. City of Edinburgh Council City Development December 2011 9 The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy Current Context History and Heritage he Union Canal, the last of Scotland’s major canals, was a commercial venture begun in 1818 and completed in T 1822.t I was built principally as a means of importing coal and lime into Edinburgh, and ran from Port Hopetoun in Edinburgh to join the Forth & Clyde Canal at Camelon, Stirlingshire. Designedy b the engineer Hugh In 2002, Britain’s largest canal restoration project, The Millennium Link, Baird, the 31.5 mile Union Canal restored navigation, and with an extension to the Union Canal and a link was built in only 4 years between with the Forth & Clyde Canal through the Falkirk Wheel, boats were once 1818 and 1822 at a cost of more able to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow. £461,760 – twice its initial estimate. The Union Canal is a significant industrial heritage asset not just for the The Canal was built using picks, city, but nationally and internationally and is recognised as such by its shovels and wheelbarrows by scheduled ancient monument status. Port Hopetoun, Union Canal, Edinburgh,. labourers known as navigators – © Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; Licensor www.scran.ac.uk ‘navvies’. Many immigrants came The Union Canal was built as a ‘contour canal’ - it follows a 73m contour PorT hoPeToun from Ireland to work on the canal throughout its length. The canal has no locks; instead it travels over three including notably William Burke aqueducts, including the second largest aqueduct in Britain - the Avon Port Hopetoun formed the eastern terminus of the canal at Lothian and William Hare. Aqueducty b Linlithgow, Slateford Aqueduct that takes the canal over Road.t A the height of the canal trade in the mid-19th century Port the Water of Leith in Edinburgh and the Almond Aqueduct near Ratho. Hopetoun was a busy port, employing a large workforce of dockers to The canal was officially opened in May 1822, the first boat to make the unload the barges that brought coal, timber, stone, slate, brick, sand and complete journey by water bringing flagstones from Denny to Port The canal also passes through the oldest and longest canal tunnel in limeo int Edinburgh from the west.