Safeguarding heritage: it's a lottery

The role of canals in Britain's industrial heritage makes them a national treasure and an attractive prospect for developers. But history can be a stumbling-block for those hoping to modernise the waterside. Striking a balance between old and new is crucial to developers' success, as Kaye Wiggins and Mark Wilding report.

Canals are cherished for their historic significance. One of the Industrial Revolution's great legacies, they often pass through heritage sites. They're also at the forefront of a number of regeneration projects.

As a result, developers in the canal sector are more likely to face opposition from the heritage lobby. Different priorities can result in disagreements which, in the worst cases, lead to litigation. The delays involved in reaching an agreement, if possible, are costly.

The Castle View development on the Lancaster canal corridor is the latest to fall victim to this. After planning permission was granted, English Heritage made the decision to lodge an appeal with the government, prompting a review.

The secretary of state for communities and local government, Hazel Blears, has called a public inquiry into the £150m comprehensive redevelopment scheme. This unusual step is only taken "if planning issues of more than local importance are involved," according to the Government Office for the North West.

"The people of Lancaster feel very strongly about their canal, and the right kind of development could be hugely successful," says William Palin, secretary of SAVE Britain's Heritage.

The scheme, proposed by Centros Miller, would demolish over 30 buildings, 18 of them within canalside conservation areas. It has been branded incompatible with Lancaster's historical architecture.

Lancaster City Council, well aware of this issue, launched its most extensive public consultation ever when handling Centros' application.

"There were ten site notices and we went on the local radio station to invite residents to put their comments in writing. We had around 500 letters of objection, so we amended the original plans, but it's still been called in for review by the government," says Mark Cassidy, deputy development control manager at Lancaster City Council.

The heritage lobby is gearing up to fight the developer. "Canals are not shopping streets. Good schemes use what's there as a starting point, rather than a problem to be got rid of. They should look at the context of the waterways, the landscaping and the green spaces," says Palin.

Even if Centros wins the inquiry, it may still need a compulsory purchase order and face a second public inquiry.

David Lewis, senior associate at Centros and head of the scheme, says: "We are extremely disappointed about the decision. The high cost of a public inquiry and the delay it will cause puts at risk the whole regeneration of Lancaster's city centre."

A fierce battle has raged over similar issues in Jericho, Oxford. Developer Spring Residential bought a canalside plot for £4.2m, but two applications to build luxury flats on the site failed following opposition from the Jericho Living Heritage Trust (JLHT).

The Trust claimed the development would overshadow St Barnabus Church. Other opponents described the canal as an important element in Oxford's industrial past.

JLHT is now planning to buy the site from Spring Residential. It hopes to use it for a development that will "protect Jericho's heritage," according to trustee Stephanie Pirrie.

The dilemma of reconciling old with new is a potent one for canalside developers. It makes building working relationships with heritage groups a demanding prospect.

The need for such groups to acquire funding creates an opportunity for developers. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded more than £90m in funds to over 190 inland waterway projects.

Groups applying for grants need to secure additional funding for their projects. For this reason, heritage groups can be keen to work with the commercial sector.

Tony Crosby, policy advisor at HLF, says: "Our main aims are about conservation of heritage, education and participation, but one of the things that brings added value to a project is economic impact. Projects have to provide some sort of additional funding.

"While our funding cannot be used to provide private gain, the commercial sector is a good source of partnership funding."

When it works, a balance of the old and the new can prove highly successful. Conservation groups working with the commercial sector can achieve mutually beneficial results.

Planners working on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal have successfully found a balance between new development and safeguarding heritage. The canal will soon be at the heart of a £600m urban village - which must, according to Salford City Council's planning guidance, be sensitive to the area's industrial past.

"The city's regeneration is not just about creating new buildings but also breathing new life into its heritage," says Derek Antrobus, Salford council's planning boss.

"We don't want a pastiche, we don't want new build that's rendered to look old," says John Fletcher, chair of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal society. "Canals should be restored for their regenerative benefits. But new build should complement the old, and not challenge it.”

This has already been achieved successfully in Castlefield, Manchester. Many of the older canalside buildings have been modified. The warehouses are used as radio studios, cafes and apartments, and the stables are now pubs.

The Bude canal regeneration project is another example of success. Redevelopment was initiated by the Bude Canal Society, whose members were concerned about the canal's long-term future.

Economic development was not one of the project's original aims. It became necessary when a bid for Heritage Lottery funding was granted on the basis that this would be one of the outcomes of redevelopment. Plans for craft workshops and office space were then built into the scheme.

The economic benefits and possibilities for wider regeneration are demonstrated by the Kennet & Avon Canal project, which received £25m from the HLF.

After a five-year restoration project the canal now brings in £26m for the community annually and provides employment for 100,000 people.

Terry Kemp, trustee of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, said: "Nationally there is a firm understanding of the principles involved in achieving the right balance of three elements: heritage, commercial and usage. Inevitably, pressure from various partners will shift this balance.

"Our view is that by using negotiation and debate with an understanding of all sectors you can move forward. There has to be compromise."