Draft Black Country Plan

Comment

Representation ID: 13072

Received: 14/09/2021

Respondent: Lapal Canal Trust

(See accompanying attachment)
The section written about canals (pages 241 to 246) is an excellent document, our Trust fully support the policy and objectives. But we request more support to protect the route of the restored Dudley No 2 Canal. Its a beutiful and important canal for future generations to appreciate and enjoy and restoration will recreate a canal ring around Birmingham and Dudley with huge future benefits to the community. The Lapal Canal Trust was formed in 1990 and the restoration of the canal is widely supported by the community with local Members of Parliament and Councillors supportive. Both Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Birmingham City Council have invested in protecting sections of the canal route. In 2008 the Trust supported by local councillors commissioned Atkins Consultancy to produce a Feasibility study. This recommended an alternative route to the abandoned Lapal Tunnel. The proposed new route passes along the Woodgate Valley Park and crossing the M5 at the roundabout, this new route would be of much greater public benefit. The crossing of Manor Way would be a bridge near the Sandvik site and would also provide a pedestrian route across this very busy Dual Carriageway. We suggest that more must be done now to protect the route for the future. The Atkins report defines the new route and we request that the report and recommendations should be accepted and that the Atkins report should be referenced in the plan