Comment

Representation ID: 16906

Received: 08/10/2021

Respondent: Inland Waterways Association (Birmingham)

In general the Inland waterways Association supports all aspects of Policy ENV7 which largely comply with previous comments that we have made on the current Black Country Core Strategy. These cover the development principles, environment protection, restoration route safeguards and residential mooring guidance. We propose the following minor amendments for consideration

Paragraph 1)
Insert 'boaters' before 'pedestrians, cyclists and other non-car modes of transport'
Reason; whilst the IWA fully supports the beneficial uses of the towpaths, navigation is the original and fundamental purpose of the canal system and without regular passage by boats there would be a deterioration of the waterways assets. We recognise that navigation and boating is referred to in paragraphs 2a, 3b and 6.

ENV 7 policy 3 where opportunities exist, all development proposals within the canal network must:
Add f) consider utilising waterways freight for transporting building products and waste material to and from buildings sites adjacent to a canal and consider the use of waterways freight to serve any commercial or industrial processes resulting from the development.
Reason; Waterways transport has a part to play in achieving the zero carbon agenda and although this is currently small in the Black Country it is worth consideration being given to providing adequate infrastructure to support future possibilities.

10.103
Add a new paragraph after 10.103
'Long term projects to restore several canals within or linked to the Black Country include the Lapal Canal (partly in Dudley), the Fens Branch (in Dudley), the Bradley Canal (in Wolverhampton and Sandwell) and the Hatherton Canal (partly in Walsall). These are supported as important strategic additions to the region's canal network that have major benefits to local agendas including wellbeing, education, environment and tourism within the Black Country. Some of these cross local authority boundaries and it is therefore appropriate to include them at the strategic level of the Black
Country Plan.'