Support

Representation ID: 1164

Received: 08/09/2017

Respondent: Canal & River Trust

The canal network is a form of strategic and local infrastructure and performs multiple functions, including sustainable transport, open space, green infrastructure, land drainage and water supply as well as flood alleviation, which is likely to be affected by all scales and types of development

70% of the population in the Black Country live within 1km of a canal. This makes them easily accessible to large numbers of people and presents a key asset and opportunity for the development / regeneration of the Black Country.

Many new developments adjacent to the canals reference the canal towpath in their application submissions, but there is often little investment from the developer to improve these routes.

Local Growth Fund has enabled significant improvements of towpaths in some areas, which have seen up to a 60% increase in use, but further investment is necessary if the opportunities for improving sustainable access around areas of redevelopment are to be realised.

The Trust wish to highlight the potential of the canal to provide / contribute to provision of other physical infrastructure. The potential for inland waterways to contribute to the low carbon economy and build resilience should also consider new energy technologies such as biomass capacity, and the identification of waste streams such as from the operation and maintenance of waterway management for recycling, reuse and energy from waste markets.
The canal network provides readily available opportunities for developments to incorporate innovative technologies to make use of its water such as the abstraction of canal water for cooling purposes and/or for heating purposes where there is a sufficient flow of water to sustain this use and the canal towpath for the running of pipelines etc. which need to be more greatly encouraged.

The water flowing through the Trust's waterways which pass through most major cities in England contains enough thermal energy to produce approximately 640 MW of energy. This has attracted a number of businesses which now utilise this low carbon source to heat and cool their buildings. DECC too have acknowledged this potential in their Heat Map which includes a specific canal layer. The energy is extracted using water sourced heat pumps which are very efficient compared to conventional forms of heating and cooling. These efficiency improvements will help reduce the electricity demand and assist in balancing electricity supply.

The Document should be amended to include reference to the potential of the canal network to contribute to low carbon technologies.

There is also potential for surface water drainage to the canal which could be referenced in the document. The waterway network presents a number of opportunities to support and enhance urban development, with particular reference to water management. Water levels in the canal network are managed by the Trust using control structures such as weirs and sluices to maintain a suitable depth for navigation by boats, but also to try to avoid water levels becoming too high in periods of heavy rainfall where runoff from hard surfaces can lead to excess water passing into the canals.

With careful design and assessment, canals may be able to receive runoff from future development sites, providing sustainable options for site drainage (although mitigation works to the canal infrastructure may be necessary to cope with this.) This may allow development of sites that would otherwise not be viable due to flood risk concerns with alternative site drainage options. The ability of canals to accept surface water run-off may also assist in wider consideration of flood mitigation measures given the managed nature of canal water levels.

In addition, there may be potential for the canal to be used for the installation of services, pipes/cables etc which could be highlighted.
With the increasing importance of digital connectivity the waterways provide established corridors through the heart of urban areas with the potential to accommodate infrastructure with relatively little disturbance in comparison to, for example, digging up main roads and pavements in busy locations. There is a real opportunity to maximise the use of the Trusts existing fibre optic networks and the canal corridor and Trusts land holdings for the provision of new and improved infrastructure around densely populated areas, such as the routing of infrastructure for district heating schemes and increasing mobile cell density to create 4G and 5G towns and cities.