Waterway Regeneration

Inland waterways form an important element of the green infrastructure of the North Sea Region.  As such they are increasingly acting as a catalyst for the regeneration of the urban and rural areas through which they pass.  
Although much of the Region’s inland waterway network remains intact, a number of canals have fallen into disuse over the years.

Waterways for Growth supports schemes for bringing these parts of the network back into use, in recognition of their role as a focus for regeneration of the canal corridors.

Through Waterways for Growth we are developing common approaches to masterplanning, delivery and funding of waterway regeneration and extension of the waterway network in terms of:

• Masterplanning, design & integration of waterways with their surroundings;
• The appraisal & evaluation of the impacts of projects;
• Good practice in public consultation;
• Links to other functions of water, such as flood alleviation and water management;
• Funding options, including private sector support, public-private partnerships, the potential for EU intervention and the use of volunteers.
• The development of innovative technical solutions to removing or avoiding blockages and bottlenecks to navigation (such as lowered bridges, changes in level or infilled stretches of canal).  

Activity under this Theme is concentrated in three partner areas:

• City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (UK) in relation to the Bradford Canal corridor
• Gemeente Emmen (Nl) in relation to the Erica – Ter Apel canal link
• Gemeente Langedijk (Nl) in relation to the development of the network of canals within the city.