Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2007-2013) -

Summary

To take forward opportunities afforded by recreational inland waterways for the development and realisation of business opportunities and creating attractive places near where people live and work.

The project will work by implementing a number of themed initiatives on business and product development, waterway regeneration and the sustainable management of waterway resource.

Duration

01/01/2009 - 31/12/2011

Priority

4 - Promoting Sustainable and Competitive Communities

Area of Intervention

4.2 Promoting sustainable growth solutions for expanding areas

ERDF Grant

1,498,386.00 €

ERDF Equivalent

133.219,00 €

Total Eligible Budget

3.440.836,00 €

Lead Beneficiary

British Waterways, UK
Glenn Millar
glenn.millar@britishwaterways.co.uk
Tel: +44 1923 201356

Project Homepage

www.waterwaysforgrowth.eu

Beneficiaries per Country

United Kingdom

British Waterways

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Norway

Telemark Fylkeskommune

Sweden

Lansstyrelsen Varmland

City of Karlstad

Forshaga Municipality

Grums Municipality

Hammarö Municipality

Kils Municipality

Germany

BIS Bremerhaven Touristik

The Netherlands

Gemeente Emmen

Gemeente Langedijk

Stichting Recreatietoer-vaart Nederland

Belgium

Toerisme Scheldeland

Background and Aim

Aim
The aim of the project is to develop a transnational framework to coordinate the sustainable development of inland waterways at national, regional and local levels throughout the NSR.

The Framework will focus on 3 key areas of activity - (1) business & product development; (2) waterway regeneration; (3) sustainable management of the waterway resource, in terms of the natural environment, sustainable transport & built heritage. The development of the Framework will be supported by means of a series of practical measures and pilot actions to further the economic & sustainable development. Evaluation of the pilot actions will contribute to development of the Framework and lead to further practical actions for taking the sustainable development of inland waterways forward and suggest priorities for future funding and investment in the sector.

Background
There is growing interest in revitalising inland waterways as a catalyst for economic & social development and area-based regeneration. Waterways support economic growth in two ways - through businesses activity (including recreation & tourism and transport); and through providing attractive places close to where people live and work, linking towns & cities with their surrounding countryside.

There is a growing interest in regenerating waterside areas and expanding the transnational network of recreational waterways because of the regeneration benefits created. The earlier Interreg IIIB North Sea Region project "Canal Link" identified and classified the region's inland waterway network and began to look at how the network could be developed and expanded in economic terms. However through "Canal Link" it was evident that further development of economic activity on & around waterways needs to be brought together with other functions, such as transport, underpinned by sustainable management & development of the natural environment and cultural heritage.

However no EU policy deals with issues & potential conflicts associated with the sustainable development of inland waterways, although aspects are touched upon by the Maritime Policy and NAIADES.

Therefore WfG partnership brings together local, regional & national players to develop a Framework for the sustainable development of the region's inland waterways. This will provide a co-ordinated approach to waterway development, linked to EU policy, which can be taken forward through national, regional or local policy as appropriate, thus achieving a long-lasting impact.

Expected Outcomes

A framework for the sustainable development of inland waterways;
New and expanded businesses based on waterways;
A common approach to regenerate historic waterways;
Extension of the network of recreational waterways;
New approaches to further develop the sustainable development of waterways.

April - September 2009

Waterways for Growth has successfully completed its start-off phase: The administrative arrangements for the project have been established and the first series of partnership meetings was organised. The branding for the project has been agreed and initial publicity material prepared. The project website has been developed over the period and is now about to go online: www.waterwaysforgrowth.eu

With the overall aim to develop a transnational framework to coordinate the sustainable development of inland waterways, initial work has taken place to scope out the format of the Framework. This work is building on parallel initiatives being undertaken in the UK to revise the Government's policy on inland waterways - Waterways for Tomorrow (2000). The Framework will be gradually built up as Waterways for Growth proceeds, taking account of other WP outcomes.

Initial project activity has taken place with respect to all work packages, with pilot actions being developed for implementation by partners. Activity in WP 2 - 'Business development & entrepreneurship' included business exchanges, clustering of activity and product development, based on new technology. Bilateral exchanges have taken place between some of the partners to take these ideas forward - particularly between Bremerhaven, Telemark and Varmland.

In relation to WP3 - 'Waterside regeneration & extension of the waterway network' three partners (Bradford, Langedijk & Emmen) have begun to implement approaches to the masterplanning of new waterways in their respective regions. These approaches will be brought together and shared between all project partners.

Connected to WP4 - 'Sustainable management & development of the waterway resource' the project has carried out investigations to review opportunities for the re-establishment of freight transport on small dimension canals in Scotland. Particular opportunities have been identified for the movement of timber, waste and fish food. Sustainable transport aspects of the project will be taken forward at a future project seminar.