Appendix 2
Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council Report Waterway Restoration Priorities Recommendations and responsesThe Government's response to each Recommendation addressed to it is highlighted.
A: Government
Government Development Agencies
A1 In England, the DETR to ensure, via strategic guidance to the new Regional Development Agencies, that the economic and social regenerative value of investment in waterway restoration, in both urban and rural areas, is recognised and acted upon.
A2 In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the equivalent Government Development Agencies to maintain, and where possible enhance, their commitment to restoration as a priority in the use of resources.
The Government looks to the Regional Development Agencies to take account of the waterways in their strategies and to support worthwhile proposals for their improvement, development and restoration (see para. 6.54).
National Lottery Funding Bodies
A3 The Heritage Lottery Fund to retain its distributor status of Lottery funds after 2001, in order to preserve a vital source of funding for heritage-led restoration.
The Government has no plans to change the distributor status of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
A4 The Department for Culture, Media and Sport to consider how the gap in Lottery funding for waterways projects which provide environmental improvement and regeneration benefits can best be filled, either by the creation of a new funding distributor or by extending the remit of an existing body.
The Government has no plans to create a new funding distributor or to extend any existing body's remit. However, the New Opportunity Fund's Green Spaces initiative may be able to support waterway projects which provide environmental or regeneration benefits.
A new funding mechanism
A5 Government to consider and respond to the Council's Recommendation in its Britain's Inland Waterways : An Undervalued Asset ; Final Recommendations 1997 for the establishment of a Waterways Heritage Trust to draw in and disburse funds for waterway restoration.
See response to Recommendation 6.4 of IWAAC's Undervalued Asset Report in Appendix 1.
New roads crossing disused waterways
A6 In view of the long standing nature of this problem, and the most recent decisions in respect of the Lichfield and Hatherton and Derby restoration projects, the DETR and Highways Agency to issue the long-promised guidance as a matter of urgency, after the previously agreed consultation with the Council.
See response to Recommendation 7.1 of IWAAC's Undervalued Asset Report in Appendix 1.
National planning guidance
A7 In England, the DETR to draw together the current advice, spread through a number of Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) notes, into a single waterway PPG (or failing that some other kind of Government advisory document). This should make clear that the PPG13 guidance about the importance of not severing the potential navigability of waterways will also relate to disused waterways pending restoration.
See response to Recommendations 3.1 and 7.1 of IWAAC's Undervalued Asset Report in Appendix 1.
Future Management
A8 The DETR to clarify Government policy with regard to Exchequer-funded navigation authorities taking over management of other waterways, so as to assist those promoting restoration of waterways in other ownerships when they are considering their strategies for future management and maintenance.
It would not be appropriate for the Government to issue formal guidance as each case is treated on its merits.
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Published 27 June 2000
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