Context 152 - November 2017

C O N T E X T 1 5 2 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 3 JohnYates steers his 1936 historic narrow boat ‘Buckden’ past the 1875 Anderton Boat Lift, a scheduled ancient monument on the RiverWeaver near Northwich, Cheshire. (Photo: SueYates) Great Fire, and a survivor of the Blitz, it is the capital’s oldest livery hall. The building had suffered from dry rot following leaks from the roof and rainwater downpipes, causing moisture to be trapped within the walls. The cement render was removed from the walls and modern paintwork from the cornicing, and replaced with lime render and breathable paints. The work was carried out by the consultancy Ingleton Wood in partnership with Historic England and the Heritage of London Trust. Canals and rivers in depth JohnYates writes: The IHBC has nomination rights for a member of the council of the Canal & River Trust (CRT). I have played that role for five years with up to three to go, so it is time I reported back. The CRT’s council is at the top of its governance structure, but it is strategic rather than executive or operational. Executive power rests with trustees – who are appointed by the council – and operations are handled by staff, advised by various specialist and geographical committees and groups. In a personal capacity I am also currently a member of the CRT’s heritage advisory group (HAG), of its North Wales and Borders Partnership and its Montgomery Canal Partnership, and of an advisory group on historic boat issues. All of this gives fascinating insights, access and occasional influence in the development and running of a very large charitable body that is still only in its sixth year of existence. It is a very different perspective from that of my former professional life, with all those decades as an English Heritage/ Historic England inspector. The council meets twice a year, with a membership and agenda that reflects the full range of issues, pressures and opportunities that face our inland waterways. There are members representing boaters, anglers, walkers, cyclists, nature conservation, local government and the various geographical areas. There are two heritage members (the other one being nominated by the Railway and Canal Historical Society), but most members have wider concerns and experience than their formal remit, so heritage always gets a good hearing. Members can propose future agenda topics, so at my request we have had presentations and discussion on the CRT’s role in the planning process and What do we mean by character?Why is character an issue in planning and conservation?What methods are available? Those are some of the questions that Richard Guise (co-author of an article on paving in this issue of Context, page 10) and JamesWebb promise to answer in their forthcoming book Characterising Neighbourhoods, to be published by Routledge. on the trust’s museums. Perhaps even more important than the actual agenda of meetings is the opportunity that membership gives for contact at all levels of the trust, including its senior managers, and for contacts with other canal users. The CRT’s heritage activities have been ably described in Context by Nigel Crowe, the trust’s national heritage manager (and a member of Context ’s editorial board), so I shall confine myself to some broad observations. The wonderful historic environment of our inland waterways was conserved by neglect through much of the 20th century. That is what inspired LTC Rolt’s words and Eric de Maré’s pictures. British Waterways eventually started a revival, but often without the will or means to carry it through. Our canals and rivers face competing demands from the wide range of users (only five per cent of users are in boats), while also coming under intense development pressure in many places, and under pressure for nature conservation as well as for protecting the built heritage. At the same time the CRT is itself a land owner and developer, often in joint ventures. Another pressure is health and safety: how far should the trust go in reducing hazards in an essentially rugged post- industrial place? Is well-informed risk and adventure part of what it offers? IHBC members will be glad to hear that the CRT has become far more active in responding to planning applications by third parties, recognising that the waterway environment is not defined by its ownership boundary. This is now a major activity for the heritage advisory group and the local partnerships. Recent casework ranges in scale from the usual run of houses and supermarket projects to the vast Liverpool Waterfront. I am always happy to hear from IHBC members about particular issues and opportunities on our historic canals and rivers. JohnYates, h.johnyates@gmail.com