Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

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1.3 COMPANION REPORTS Throughout this document, we refer to previous reports and work commissioned especially for this study. These are referenced at the end of each section. The reports and surveys listed below have been commissioned as part of the process of preparing the Conservation Management Strategy. Information from these reports is publicly available on the web at www.britishwaterways.co.uk. Further more detailed records are also available from the internal British Waterways GIS mapping system, and can be seen by appointment. Please make contact via a local waterway office. British Waterways (2003) Welshpool Town Landscape Study British Waterways (2005) Options Appraisal for the Future Management and Canal Restoration BTCV Conservation Contracts (2003) Montgomery Canal Access Audit Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (2003) Montgomery Canal Conservation Strategy: Landscape Archaeology Assessment, CPAT Report No 550. 122pp + maps Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust (2003) Aerial Survey: 245 images Eaton, J., Willby, N. and Hatton,K. (2003) Aquatic Macrophyte Research Summary Eaton, M. (2003) Built Heritage Assessment Godfrey, M. (2003) Landscape and the Montgomery Canal Corridor Newbold, C. (2003) Aquatic Macrophytes Survey of Nature Reserves Ponds Conservation Trust (2004) A Spring and Autumn Survey of the Aquatic Macro-invertebrates of the Montgomery Canal Rural Resources and Godfrey, M. (2003) Montgomery Canal: Community Consultation Report Ponds Conservation Trust (2003) A Spring Survey of the Aquatic Macroinvertebrates of the Montgomery Canal Wetlands Advisory Service (2003) Aquatic Habitat Design Guidelines Wilkinson, I. (2003) Montgomery Canal Report: Waste Water Treatment and Reed Beds. 7pp. 9
1.4 CANAL HISTORY: CONSTRUCTION AND RESTORATION The Montgomery Canal is actually a combination of four separate canals; the first half mile, and then on into the Weston Arm, was originally intended as part of the main line from Chester to Shrewsbury, but this was never completed. Instead the length became part of the Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal, to serve the major limestone quarry and lime kilns at Llanymynech, the branch first opening in 1796. From Carreghofa the canal passes into what was the original Montgomeryshire Canal, built with support from local landowners, essentially to further the development of their estates, rather than as a commercial proposition. This proceeded in parallel to the Ellesmere branch, opening eighteen months later, as far as Garthmyl. However, as a result of funding difficulties the final section to Newtown was only opened twenty-two years later, in 1819, under the guise of a separate company, the Montgomeryshire Canal (Western Branch). The canal traded steadily, with lime and limestone supplemented by timber and agricultural products. But by 1850 all the separate companies had agreed to join the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. Plans to convert sections of canal to railway never materialised, and the Montgomery Canal remained viable until the First World War, from when there was a gradual deterioration in maintenance, and steady decline in traffic. A major bank burst near Frankton in 1936 finally led to the closure of the canal. At that time repair costs were estimated at £600! On nationalisation in 1948 the Montgomery Canal became the responsibility of the British Transport Commission, replaced in 1963 by British Waterways Board, in turn re-organised as British Waterways in 1988. Meanwhile in 1968 the canal was classed as a remainder waterway: “to be dealt with in the most economical manner possible, consistent with the requirements of public health and the preservation of amenity and safety”. If the government had remaindered the canal, the local community had not, and there remained keen interest from both nature conservationists and canal restoration enthusiasts. The Montgomery Field Society campaigned for retention of the canal as a nature reserve in the 1950’s, but could not raise the money to purchase the land. Then in 1969 came a turning point in the fortunes of the canal. Faced with the prospect of a new relief road being built along the line of the canal through Welshpool, “The Welshpool Dig” was organised by the Shropshire Union Canal Society and the Inland Waterways Association, with strong local support. One hundred and eighty people turned up, and an awful lot of mud and rubbish was shifted in one weekend. From then on the restoration progressed slowly, but with support from a range of voluntary organisations, including three visits from the Prince of Wales, and including some funding from the Prince of Wales’ Committee and the Variety Club of Great Britain. Officialdom caught on, and in 1983 a cost benefit analysis of restoration was undertaken by W.S. Atkins, and the British Waterways Act, 1987, was passed in Parliament, which protected the route and diversions necessary to cross the modern road system. At the same time funding had been almost secured from Europe for the capital costs of restoration, but late in the year, the Welsh Office refused to allow local authorities to make match funding available. So it was back to the drawing board, voluntary groups, and further support from British Waterways. Despite this setback work has continued, with funding and support from Powys and Shropshire County Councils. Among completed projects were Gallowstree Bridge and Whitehouse Bridges, near Welshpool, which was raised to enable navigation along an ten mile length. In England four miles from Frankton Locks to Queen’s Head opened in 1996, and a further three miles from Queen’s Head to Gronwen Wharf in 2003, with major input from the County Council and English Partnerships. A second major bid for funding, via the Heritage Lottery Fund was unsuccessful in 1998, as major demands on lottery funding came from a range of canal projects, and the Montgomery lost out to the Kennet and Avon Canal. However, this was the spur to the formation of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, which brought all the interested parties together into a closer consortium. An early decision of the Partnership was to seek to develop a Conservation Management Strategy for the whole canal, which would address all the diverse issues and competing needs, in an integrated holistic manner. After more than two years of detailed research, survey work and consultation, this document is the end result, which we believe meets the aspirations and needs of everyone. The canal is a wonderful resource; come and enjoy it. 10
Page 1 and 2: Montgomery Canal: Regeneration thro
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document is t
Page 6 and 7: 1. INTRODUCTION Summary of chapter
Page 8 and 9: 1.1 THE PARTNERSHIP This Strategy h
Page 12 and 13: Llangollen Canal Frankton Junction
Page 14 and 15: 2.1 INTRODUCTION Many of the conser
Page 16 and 17: (Department for Culture Media and S
Page 18 and 19: A key aim of the Shropshire Tourism
Page 20 and 21: 3.1 LANDSCAPE HERITAGE 3.1.1 Overvi
Page 22 and 23: iv. The Canal The driving force beh
Page 24 and 25: Table 3.1. Montgomery Canal Corrido
Page 26 and 27: The country has been divided up int
Page 28 and 29: Although there is little natural wo
Page 30 and 31: References for further information
Page 32 and 33: they have undergone extensive repai
Page 34 and 35: xi. Water Economy The canal require
Page 36 and 37: iii. Canal-related industry The nat
Page 40 and 41: This Strategy seeks to further deve
Page 42 and 43: The Shropshire Biodiversity Action
Page 44 and 45: Mammals: Bats Pipistrelle Noctule D
Page 46 and 47: Figure 3.9. Luronium natans (Floati
Page 50 and 51: Overall the Welsh section is lightl
Page 52 and 53: 3.4.7 Paddlesports Currently the Ca
Page 54 and 55: The invertebrate fauna is one metho
Page 56 and 57: 3.6 COMMUNITY AND VISITOR ACCESS 3.
Page 58 and 59: 3.6.2 Cycling Cycling is growing in
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References for further information
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4. OPTIONS APPRAISAL Summary of cha
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Proposals for restoration in any fo
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4.2.6 Option 3B: Option 3 + Additio
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OPTION 1 1B 2 2B 3 3B 4 4b 5 Archae
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5. VISION Summary of chapter The pr
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In parallel to the engineering, and
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6.1 LANDSCAPE HERITAGE 6.1.1 Existi
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6.2.2 Local Implementation B) Briti
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6.3.4 Monitoring Informs Action L)
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F) A transparent and impartial syst
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6.6 COMMUNITY AND VISITOR ACCESS 6.
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6.7.2 Visitor spend Visitor spend w
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7. MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS Summary of
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Waterlogged sites, e.g. peat in the
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Suggested Canal gateway - enhanced
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5) The Partnership will seek early
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Figure 7.5. Proposed Conservation A
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7.2.4 Benign Neglect This is often
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Separate standards have been agreed
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See also Sections 6.4 (Navigation)
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19) The Countryside Council for Wal
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30) Management will be by careful m
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1. Establishment of compensatory ha
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Table 7.6. Private boat moorings an
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trip day hire private visiting 6,00
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Day hire boats offer particular opp
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Figure 7.12. Dutch design electric
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Paddlesports are popular on the Mon
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9) It is proposed to keep the separ
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Urban areas and road run-off are im
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ii. Long Distance Routes 7) The Par
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Figure 7.16. Proposed Cycle Routes
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Upgrade path through school grounds
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ii. Commercial Fishing 24) Commerci
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These include: • Field Studies Co
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7.8 ECONOMIC AND RURAL REGENERATION
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7.8.3 Proposals 1) Local suppliers:
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8. PHASED RESTORATION Summary of ch
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8.1.1 Context Although this is a co
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8.2 THE CRITICAL PATH: PHASING Time
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Timescale is an indication, and wil
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vii. Belan Locks Previous temporary
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9.1 PHILOSOPHY The Montgomery is a
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Techniques and events included the
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What do you want conserved or prote
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4) A database of customer groups is
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10.1 NATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY INDICA
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EDUCATION BW-organised visits - num
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Table 10.3 Summary Conservation Obj
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AQUATIC VEGETATION - LOCAL DISTINCT
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10.3.3 Other Biological Monitoring
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Llantysilio Sluice Llantysilio Feed
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Table 11.1 Commitments to Action. F
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