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Lichfield Canal Restoration Feasibility Study Final Report - July 2009 Acknowledgements The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following in preparing this report: British Waterways West Midlands has contributed considerable staff time as an in kind donation to the feasibility study. BW has inspected works constructed to date, advised as to the design criteria required and provided assistance with budget estimates for specialist elements of the scheme. Lichfield District Council has provided Ordnance Survey Mapping and other assistance, including identifying local nature sites and consultation over environmental issues, to the feasibility study. Thanks are due to Staffordshire Highways for its ongoing co-operation with the Trust, particularly with regard to the Lichfield Southern Bypass proposals and its prompt provision of design details for use in the study. The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) have provided a grant of £5,000 to part fund the feasibility study, and this support is gratefully acknowledged. IWA’s Consultant Engineers have reviewed the engineering proposals and their suggestions have been taken into account and incorporated where appropriate. The Environment Agency have indicated their support in principle for the restoration of the Lichfield Canal The invaluable work of the Trust itself, and all its members and officers is also acknowledged. In particular, John Horton and Mike Smith have undertaken much early work developing solutions which this study validates and on which, in part, it is based. John produced the first analysis of a potential alignment for the restored canal, and Mike has developed options to demonstrate that a restored canal would be able to use the Lichfield Southern Bypass corridor. 5079324/Lichfield final issue 20090717.doc Lichfield Canal Restoration Feasibility Study Report May 2009 Notice This report was produced by Atkins Limited for Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited for the specific purpose of demonstrating the feasibility of restoring the Lichfield Canal (formerly known as the Wyrley and Essington Canal [Ogley Locks Section]) to navigation. This report may not be used by any person other than Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited without the express permission of Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited. In any event, Atkins accepts no liability for any costs, liabilities or losses arising as a result of the use of or reliance upon the contents of this report by any person other than Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited. Document History JOB NUMBER: 5079324 DOCUMENT REF: Lichfield final issue e check 20090706.doc JT / PM / PM / JT / 04 FINAL REPORT RDE / JB RDE July 2009 DC DC / AR JT / PM / PM / JT / Environment: JB 03 Final draft Engineering: not May 2009 DC DC / AR yet reviewed 02 Draft JT / PM PM / JT April 2009 01 First draft JT / PM Mar 2009 Revision Purpose Description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date 5079324/Lichfield final issue 20090717.doc Feasibility Study Report Contents Section Page Executive Summary 5 1. Introduction 8 1.1 The Canal 8 1.2 The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited 10 1.3 The Restoration Project 10 1.4 The Feasibility Study 11 1.5 Information supplied by the Trust 11 1.6 Other Information Used 13 2. Canal Route and Engineering 14 2.1 General Engineering 14 2.2 Phasing 18 2.3 Water Supply 20 2.4 Route and Engineering: Phase 1 – Huddlesford Junction to the Moorings, Darnford Lane 26 2.5 Route and Engineering: Phase 2 – Darnford Bridge to Borrowcop Locks Canal Park 34 2.6 Route and Engineering: Phase 3 – Cricket Lane to Lock 18 (Fosseway Lane) 44 2.7 Route and Engineering: Phase 4 – Fosseway Lane Bridge to Pipehill Pumping Station 56 2.8 Route and Engineering: Phase 5 – Coppice Lane Bridge to Ogley Junction 62 2.9 Cost Estimates 75 3. Environmental Issues 77 3.1 Heritage 77 3.2 Ecology / Natural Heritage 79 3.3 Flood Risk 86 4. Planning 89 4.1 Introduction 89 4.2 National Planning Policy 89 4.3 Regional Planning Policy 93 4.4 Local Planning Policy 95 4.5 Emerging Lichfield District Council Local Development Framework 97 4.6 The Way Forward 98 4.7 Development Potential 99 5. Socio-Economic Benefits 104 5.1 Overview of Assessment Assumptions 105 5.2 Water-Based Recreation 107 5.3 Other Recreational Use 116 5.4 Summary of Economic Benefits 119 5.5 Cost Benefit Analysis 120 6. Funding 122 6.1 Introduction 122 6.2 Potential Sources of Funding 123 7. Conclusions and Recommendations 127 5079324/Lichfield final issue 20090717.doc 3 Feasibility Study Report 7.1 Conclusions of the study 127 7.2 Recommendations 128 7.3 Summary 131 List of Tables Table 1.1 – Information Supplied by the Trust 13 Table 2.1 – Proposed Phasing of Restoration 19 Table 2.2 – Residual Water Losses 21 Table 2.3 – Lockage Water Requirements 21 Table 2.4 – Total Feed Water Requirements 22 Table 3.1 – Existing Heritage Structures and Effect of the Restoration Proposals 79 Table 3.2 – Table of Legislation regarding Ecological Constraints 81 Table 3.3 – Non-Statutory Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) 83 Table 3.4 – Key Ecological Constraints 84 Table 5.1 – Summary of expenditure by user type 106 Table 5.2 – Lock movements in the area around the Lichfield Canal (2005/06) 107 Table 5.3 – Cruising rings created by restoring the Lichfield Canal 114 Table 5.4 – Estimated Number of Overnight Stays 118 Table 5.5 – Estimated Overnight Visitor Spend 119 Table 5.6 – Private Boat Daily Spend (In Use) 119 Table 5.7 – Likely Annual Economic Benefits 120 Table 5.8 – Results of Cost-Benefit Analysis 121 List of Figures Figure 1.1 – Location Plan 8 Figure 1.2 – Black Country Canals Network 9 Figure 2.1 – A Modern Lock – Curdworth Top Lock 16 Figure 2.2 – Environment Agency Flood Map for Huddlesford Area 29 Figure 2.3 – Cross Section through bridge showing increased headroom 67 Figure 5.1 – Map Showing Boat Counter Locations 108 Figure 5.2 – One Day Cruising Options 112 Figure 5.3 – Four Day Cruising Options 112 Figure 5.4 – Seven Day Cruising Options 113 Appendices Appendix A – Construction Costs 133 5079324/Lichfield final issue 20090717.doc 4 Feasibility Study Report Executive Summary Atkins was engaged by the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited (the Trust) to undertake a study and report on the feasibility of restoring the Lichfield Canal. The canal linked Huddlesford Junction, east of Lichfield in Staffordshire, with Ogley Junction east of Brownhills also in Staffordshire. The canal was abandoned in 1954 and the alignment was sold off by the then navigation authority, the British Transport Commission. Most of the canal’s 30 locks were infilled and survive, along with much of the former “track” (the alignment) of the canal. A few of the bridges and other structures are also still extant. The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited (hereafter referred to as “The Trust”) was incorporated in 1989. The Trust aims “to promote the restoration of the Lichfield Canal and the Hatherton Canal to reopen links between Staffordshire and the West Midlands, for the benefit of the environment, amenity and prosperity of the people of the region and to enhance the nation’s inland waterway system”. The Trust has already undertaken or funded major works at a number of locations, including the installation of an aqueduct to carry the canal over the new M6 (Toll) Road during the road’s construction, something which would have been virtually impossible once the road opened. Restoration of the canal would provide an important link between the East Midlands canals and canals in the Black Country and towards South West England. It is estimated that there would be around 5,000 boat movements per year along the restored canal. Atkins has completed a detailed study of the feasibility of the engineering works required and the key findings are: Restoring the canal using the alignment shown on the Proposal Maps is technically feasible, and can be achieved at an estimated cost of £47.7 million; There are several “pinch points” (most notably alongside the proposed Lichfield Southern Bypass just west of London Road, and at the site of former Lock 19 where the proposed alignment turns between the Southern Bypass alignment and its original course alongside the Walsall – Brownhills – Lichfield freight railway), but these can be resolved simply without recourse to unduly complex or convoluted engineering solutions; The vast majority of the engineering works required can be delivered using existing, proven technology – innovation is restricted to the development of a method of ensuring that short pounds (sections of canal between locks) do not run short of water whilst minimising the amount of water required to operate the canal; There is very little adverse impact on existing development; no domestic property will have to be demolished to enable the canal to be restored. Four properties will require modifications to access and / or gardens (one of which is owned by the Trust) and precautions may be required (subject to detailed design) to protect one further property during the construction phase. Design parameters have been established and agreed with British Waterways, and recommendations are made regarding construction methods and potential engineering solutions for the structures required. Where possible, the proposed alignment re-uses existing canal infrastructure to reduce costs and maintain and enhance the heritage value of the “legacy” structures. Detailed proposals are given for each road, railway and watercourse crossing which will be required to complete the restoration. A proposal for phasing the restoration has been developed and is detailed in Table 2.1. Consideration has been given to water supply, both on completion of the whole scheme, and in the interim period whilst the various proposed restoration phases are constructed.