South East Waterway Partnership Draft Strategic Plan. Our Objectives and Aims

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1 South East Waterway Partnership Draft Strategic Plan Our Objectives and Aims 1. Build community engagement, volunteering and ownership. This means increasing the number of community based and business adoptions, volunteer days, visitor numbers and partnerships. Drive support of newly formed Banbury Canal Partnership Increase community & business adoptions particularly Banbury, Oxford, and Cropredy Increasing community & business adoptions particularly Hillmorton and Rugby Increase community and business input particularly in Leighton Buzzard, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted. Support Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership and encourage other locations to develop similar community ownership through Partnership working. 2. Improve the perception of people living and working in the area, including community engagement and social investment. This means reducing antisocial behaviour, improving the condition of our structures and increasing the sense of ownership by waterside owners Target existing youth organisations in Banbury and Oxford specifically. Connect with waterside businesses at each village and town Define anti-social behaviour hotspots for action Target existing youth organisations in Rugby, Market Harborough, and Daventry. Connect with waterside businesses at each village and town Define anti-social behaviour hotspots for action Target existing youth organisations in Northampton, Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead & Watford Connect with waterside businesses at each village and town Define anti-social behaviour hotspots for action

2 3. Use canals for open-air lifelong learning activities. This means promoting the waterways as outdoor classrooms. Target key locations for the Explorers educational offer Enhance skills capability of all volunteer groups Utilise Sector Skills Councils to promote greater interest in canal heritage skills Target key locations for the Explorers educational offer Enhance skills capability of all volunteer groups Utilise Sector Skills Councils to promote greater interest in canal heritage skills Target key locations for the Explorers educational offer Enhance skills capability of all volunteer groups Utilise Sector Skills Councils to promote greater interest in canal heritage skills 4. Promote the waterways as part of a natural health service. This means helping improve the health and well-being of boaters and towpath users with physical activities and pastoral care. Develop network of angling youth coaching schemes across the SE Improve understanding and opportunities for increased canoe /kayak activity Progress target location for pilot blue gym Develop network of angling youth coaching schemes across the SE Improve understanding and opportunities for increased canoe /kayak activity Progress target location for pilot blue gym Develop network of angling youth coaching schemes across the SE Improve understanding and opportunities for increased canoe /kayak activity Progress target location for pilot blue gym Continue boater centric pastoral care at relevant community locations Progress target location for pilot blue gym, e.g. Western Turville Reservoir

3 5. Maintain and improve the safe working condition of the waterway infrastructure including reliability of water supply. This means reducing the number of poor assets, improving safety by reducing visitor incidents, tackling water reliability, supporting sustainable boating, water based tourism, and waterway dependant activities. Ensure water management resilience is improved through pump upgrade and SCADA investment Focus on worst sections of towpath e.g. central Oxford for external funding Ensure water management resilience is improved through pump upgrade and SCADA investment Focus on worst sections of towpath e.g. Husbands Bosworth for external funding Ensure water management resilience is improved through investment at Tringford pumping station and Startops reservoir Support continued restoration of Wendover Arm which improves resilience of water supply to Tring reservoirs Focus on worst sections of towpath e.g. Northampton Arm, Aylesbury Arm, Leighton Buzzard and South Watford for external funding 6. Improve existing canal destinations and link the waterways to existing tourism destinations. This means strengthening the visitor offer in urban and rural areas, growing visitor numbers, including repeat visits, working with even organisers to increase the number and diversity of celebrations and events. Focus on Oxford, Banbury, Thrupp and Cropredy to improve the visitor experience Welcome centres at Thrupp and Banbury Encourage new canalside events Daventry new canal arm / town centre development Foxton Masterplan / digital Foxton Welcome centres Foxton, Braunston and Hillmorton Focus on Hillmorton, Braunston, Rugby, Foxton, Hawkesbury Junction to improve the visitor experience Encourage new canalside events including GU 2014 anniversary Focus on Tring Reserviors, Aylesbury, Stoke Bruerne and Northampton to improve the visitor experience Welcome centres Tring Res, Rickmansworth, Stoke Bruerne Tring Reservoirs Investment plan Encourage new canalside events

4 7. Tackle issues of mooring demand and overstaying This means increasing the number and quality of off-line residential and leisure moorings and enhancing the experience at visitor moorings, especially at peak times at key locations. Support & encourage marina developments on the South Oxford Towpath mooring improvements Banbury, Oxford, Cropredy Towpath mooring improvement Braunston, Hillmorton Towpath moorings improvements Berkhamsted, Batchworth, Marsworth Advance Roving mooring permit rollout post Uxbridge Pilot trials Converting Willen Lake Marina to a reality 8. Work in Partnership to make waterside developments waterway embracing. This means working with others to make waterside cities, towns and villages waterway embracing places by cherishing local distinctiveness and enhancing the key qualities of the waterway network. Encouraging strategic development in Banbury including the shopping centre Jericho boatyard development Seek willing local partners to develop local improvement plans. target 2 locations Optimise investment into the canal network through canalside development. Daventry town centre development around waterspace Seek willing local partners to develop local improvement plans. target 2 locations Optimise investment into the canal network through canalside development. Development Marsworth and Bulbourne (Trust) development sites Complete Aylesbury basin development Seek willing local partners to develop local improvement plans. target 2 locations Optimise investment into the canal network through canalside development.

5 9. Connect the waterways and towpaths to other routes and trails. This means connecting the waterways and their towpath to other routes within and through neighbouring areas and getting the waterways recognised as part of the green infrastructure network Work closely with local activity groups particularly the Ramblers and Cycling Touring Club Target 5 LA s / Parishes to progress development in this area over the next 3 years Develop SE Waterway priorities with Sustrans Work closely with local activity group particularly the Ramblers and Cycling Towing Club Target 5 LA s / Parishes to progress development in this area over the next 3 years Develop SE Waterway priorities with Sustrans Support development of Daventry canal arm Progressing Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Support continued restoration of Buckingham Arm Work closely with local activity group particularly the Ramblers and Cycling Towing Club Target 5 LA s / Parishes to progress development in this area over the next 3 years Develop SE Waterway priorities with Sustrans 10. Sustainability. Promoting energy conservation maintaining a health ecosystem and developing sustainable solutions. Promote wind turbines to power pumping stations Continue to promote vole habitat and soft bank enhancements Expand recycling along the canal corridor working with LA s in Partnership Improve condition of the GU Leicester Line SSSI Promote wind turbines to power pumping stations Continue to promote vole habitat and soft bank enhancements Expand recycling along the canal corridor working with LA s in Partnership Maximise opportunity of South Northants conservation area status Continue the positive working relationships with the HMWT at Tring Reservoirs (SSSI) Promote wind turbines to power pumping stations Continue to promote vole habitat and soft bank enhancements Complete Heritage recording project Expand recycling along the canal corridor working with LA s in Partnership Focus on water quality in the Marsworth / Tring area.