Date and Time: |
Wednesday 1st November 2023, 6:30pm to 8pm |
Location: |
Holborn Studios, 49/50 Eagle Wharf Road, London N1 7ED |
Chair: |
Ian Shacklock |
Beverley Dean | Angel Association |
Kevin Dean | Angel Association |
Paul Ballard | Canal supporter |
Sasha Keir | Vice-president, SPCC. Angel Canal Festival |
Steve Ballard | Boat owner |
David Fathers | Author/illustrator |
Dohne Arnold | Angel Association |
Bob Philpotts | Resident of Bow |
Bob Welfare | Volunteer lock keeper (CRT) |
Eric Sorensen | Islington Boat Club, Angel Association |
Dave Bedford | Lower Regents Coalition |
Ian Shacklock | Friends of Regent's Canal |
Charles Collett | IWA member |
Carolyn Clark | Regent's Canal Heritage |
Sorwar Ahmed |
|
Alice Williams | Local resident |
Richard Garner | Walker |
Ian Hugo | Canal and River Trust |
Gareth Roberts | Canal and River Trust |
Donna O'Sullivan | Local resident |
Marcus Ellenby | Boat skipper, Tarporley |
Marnie Collins
Emma Smith
Charles Manson
Tony Price
Marisha Ray
Jenifer Chan
Sarah-Jane Elvin
Sally Hone
Dominic Courtauld
Malcolm Tucker
Kal Webb
Hazel Saunders
Zannthie Bennett
The meeting was structured around a slide show, which is available via this link:
friendsofregentscanal.org/events/2023/2023-11-01/slideshow/slideshow-2023-11-01.html
At the start of the meeting, all the attendees introduced themselves.
Gordon Meen, a well known CRT volunteer and one of most regular attendees at our meetings, has passed away in the last two years.
Jonathan Privett, the founder of the Bookbarge (Word on the Water) passed away in September 2023.
This topic was covered later in the meeting.
This topic was covered later in the meeting.
Last November we received advice that the CRT was proposing to sell off a strip of land adjoining the lock above Limehouse Basin. We liaised with other groups and raised objections on the grounds that this could interfere with any future revival of the second chamber of the lock. The CRT reacted swiftly by deciding to rent out the land rather than let go of it completely.
For further information see our website
.It has been widely reported that the Canal and River Trust is facing a funding crisis in the near future, which could result in the closure of certain waterways. The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is sprearheading a nation campaign to address this.
The towpath bridge across the entrance of Dead Dog Basin has undergone major repairs and repainting. See the following links for further information:-
CNJ (Oct 2022)
CRT News (Jan 2023)
CRT News (May 2023)
The towpath cafe below Johnson's Lock has been reopened and its new opening hours are 9:30am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday. The museum has recently undergone major refurbishment with help from, the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This is a convenient meeting place for canal users in the Mile End area. See their website
We have received complaints that litter bins have been removed from the towpath. It was unclear whether this was a result of funding cuts or whether it was merely a new approach to handling litter problems.
The illustrated book by David Fathers was first published in 2012. The second edition was published in 2018 and it has just been reprinted by Bloomsbury/Conway
A list of canal-related books is available on the Information page of our website
This topic was covered later in the meeting.
The Regent's Canal Information Centre has been closed for over a year following the departure of Starbucks. Since November we have been ..
For the past eleven years we have worked with Holborn studios to thwart a series of hostile planning applications by their landlords' hwo want to demolish the buildings. (See the meeting slides for a timeline).
A Planning Inquiry began in January 2023 but it was postponed at the last minute after the planning inspector suffered an injury. The Inquiry resumed in September but it was adjourned after the council's representative suffered an injury. A third attempt is scheduled for December 2023/.
See the meeting slides for illudstrations of these proposals.
7.1 In March 2023 Queen Mary University gained approval from the councillors to demolish its hall of residence at Mile End Lock and to replace it with a bulky building towering over the lock. The listed building has been saved but its appearance will be ruined by an extra storey on its roof.
7.2 In April 2023 the Islington councillors approved plans for the Barnsbury Estate regeneration. This was good news for the tenants living in unsuitable accommodation but bad news for the canal because three unsuitable tower blocks will dominate the west portak of the Islington Tunnel.
7.3 This plan has been put on hold due to new building ergulations affecting staircases.
7.4 In July 2023 Black Sheep Coffee gained permission to refurbish the Lock Keeper's Cottage in Camden Town. The Friends of Regent's Canal have worked closely with the Canal and River Trust to influence the content of these plans, which relate to the canal information centre.
7.5 There have been no signs of any constructin works at the Access Storage facility at Sturt7apos;s Lock.
7.6 The developers at Regent's Wharf have been submitting hostile planning applications to allow them to circumvent light pollution rules. (Note: this was not discussed at the meeting, but details are available on request)
7.7 Construction is underway at the Bethnal Green gasholder site.
7.8 There have been no signs of any construction works at Canalside Studios opposite Kingsland Basin
7.9 The hostile planning application to destroy Belmont Wharf's community garden and community centre has disappeared from the Tower Hamlets website. However, it appears that the new council is as determined as the previous administration to rob the community of these assets.
Sasha Keir provided an update on the way that the canal festival was saved this year. In March 2023 the event had been cancelled by the Canal and River Trust, but within a matter of weeks Sasha and others managed to attract sufficient support from officials, financial backers and volunteers to make the event viable again.
The event was a great success and Sasha is looking into ways of administering and sustaining it in future years.
The chair provided a summary of our year-round other activites to put to rest any rumours that the Friends of Regent's Canal had lost momentum in recent years.
10.1 Public meetings
10.2 Coordinating with other groups
10.3 Canal festivals
10.4 Information sharing
10.5 Reviewing planning applications
10.6 Social media : Facebook and Twitter
10.7 Bulletins
10.8 Incoming e-mail enquiries
10.9 Maintenance of mailing list
10.10 Website development and maintenance
The chair provided a summary of ongoing projects that occur behind the scenes.
11.1 Canal information centre
11.2 Interactive waterway maps
11.3 Canal news archive
11.4 Del Brenner archive
11.5 Catalogue of planning applications
Eric Sorensen provided an update on the recovery of the Islington Boat Club.
A nearby resident (in Islington) complained that noise levels had increased since the pandemic and this was attributed to the additional seating on the pontoons outdside Holborn Studios. The Hackney councillors appear to be uniterested because their constituents are unaffected by the noise.