Enw'r sefydliad: Torfaen County Borough Council
Cyflwynwyd: 17/06/2009 gan helen.jeffries@torfaen.gov.uk
- Busnes craidd y sefydliad: Local Authority
- Beth fydd y prosiect yn ei wneud?: The aim of the project is to facilitate the regeneration of the Monmouthshire & Brecon canals for the benefit of the local communities and the local economy in South East Wales. This will be achieved by delivering a programme of physical works and complimentary activities along the canal within the four local authorities of Torfaen, Newport, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is an important part of the landscape and heritage of South East Wales. Its regeneration can act as a catalyst for urban and rural regeneration stimulating leisure, recreation and tourism opportunities and contributing to the economic development and tourism potential of the region. The project will focus on: Bringing economic benefit to the area and helping to unlock private sector investment, tourism, employment and development opportunities. Improving the canal environment, its accessibility and facilities alongside the canal will encourage more visitors and activity on the canal which in turn will generate the conditions for private investment in associated facilities and services. Developing interpretation measures which demonstrate the role of the canal within the wider regional context of natural, cultural and historic attractions will help to spread the potential for tourism and economic growth in the region. Restoring the canal infrastructure at key locations in Torfaen and Newport with a view to increasing the navigable length of canal in these areas. The project will build on the successful programme of lock restoration which has already been initiated within these authorities. Within Caerphilly, restoration will aim to maximise water flows and minimise water loss in the canal and in so doing safeguard and protect the Crumlin arm of the canal as an important local community resource. In Monmouthshire, the project will focus on providing a continuous multi use route between Mamhilad and Govilon. The route will link with other established regional footpaths and the national cycle network. Where appropriate, restoration of the canal will include flood protection measures. transforming the physical environment of the canal within the three local authority areas by improving the landscape and biodiversity along the canal corridor and enhancing access thereto. The canal is an important community route and the potential for improving sustainable links between communities will be realised through environmental works, improvements to footways and cycleways and provision of facilities for visitors along the canal corridor. Developing the canal as a recreational and educational resource by raising awareness of the canal's natural and built heritage value through a range of interpretation measures. Physical improvements will be designed to encourage and increase use of the canal corridor by local people for informal learning and social activity. The canal already attracts volunteering activity and can provide a vehicle for more formal training in canal management, conservation techniques and traditional heritage skills working in a waterway environment. Bringing health benefits to local communities through providing safe and accessible outdoor routes and spaces alongside the canal which are attractive to a wide range of users. Offering attractive opportunities for physical activity in the outdoors will directly address the relatively low levels of physical activity characteristic of local communities. Meeting cross cutting themes: By focusing on footpath and cycleway improvements and habitat creation/ protection the project will make a significant contribution to the cross cutting theme of promoting environmental sustainability. Restoration of the canal and enhancement of the canal corridor will improve access to the natural environment and biodiversity and encourage environmentally responsible recreation. Opportunities for environmental skills training will be pursued through an expanded volunteer programme. The theme of Equal opportunities will be addressed through increased participation of local communities in canal restoration and related activities. Efforts are already being made to use the canal as a vehicle for engaging 'hard to reach' and disadvantaged groups in environmental works and the project will develop and expand this practise. Local people will be involved in decisions throughout all stages of the development and delivery of the project.
- Ardaloedd gofodol y bydd y prosiect yn eu cynnwys: De-ddwyrain Cymru
- Pwy fydd y buddiolwyr yn y pen draw?: Businesses along the canal , social enterprises, residents from communities adjacent to the canal corridor (c90,000 people live within a 15 minute journey), socially excluded and economically inactive people benefitting from new training and employment opportunities, special interest groups (eg anglers, cyclists, boaters), visitors and tourists
- Pa ganlyniadau allai fod i'r prosiect?: The project is being taken forward by the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canals Regeneration Partnership which consists of: Torfaen County Borough Council, British Waterways, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust, Newport City Council and the Environment Agency, together with Monmouthshire County Council
- Pa allbynnau (mesurau gweithgarwch) allai fod i'r prosiect?: Initiatives developing the natural and/or historic environment, managed access to the countryside, enterprises assisted, physical improvement schemes, jobs created.
- Pa ganlyniadau allai fod i'r prosiect?: Gross jobs created - creating investment opportunities that will generate new jobs and business opportunities for local people. Investment induced - attracting an increasing number of visitors who will spend money in the local economy, enterprises created - providing the opportunity for communities to actively engage in the betterment and maintenance of the places in which they live and partake in skills training , increased visits to the canal and facilities alongside, through creating a tourism asset of high profile and quality and a recreational resource of national significance, people benefitting from flood protection measures
- Beth fyddai effaith y prosiect?: The project is expected to impact on the following: Net jobs created, net enterprises created, income generated. The project will have the following general social, environmental and economic impacts: i. Social The project will support community regeneration and improving the quality of life within communities along the canal. The regeneration of the canal will provide an important community education and recreational resource. It will provide a facility that contributes to the health and well being of the communities that surround it. Using the canal as a vehicle for heritage skills training for local volunteers will generate a culture of pride in the community and could also lead to employment for local unemployed people. ii) Environmental: The project will enhance the natural and built environment along the entire corridor improving community safety and changing perceptions of the area. The project will enhance the biodiversity of the canal corridor and help to restore an important heritage asset. iii) Economic: Substantial economic benefit will arise from the project, both directly and indirectly. Visitor expenditure will support local jobs and restoration work will help to stimulate further activity and regeneration benefits from canal related development. The project also seeks to increase the critical mass of tourism product within the area. It will provide an alternative sustainable transport link (walking and cycling) between existing communities and tourism facilities, thus having the potential to impact on the economic viability of tourism in the wider south east Wales region.
- Beth yw'r amcangyfrif o gost y prosiect?: £6,000,000