Association for Daventry Canal

Published: Wednesday, 23 February 2011

NOTWITHSTANDING the opposition to the building of a a canal and marina in Daventry an association has been formed to do just that.

For many years Daventry District Council has been promoting a marina in its town, even though there is no waterway, as regular readers of narrowboatworld will know, at an estimated cost last year of over £11 millions.

Inaugural meeting

But it has just received a boost by the formation of the Daventry Canal Association, which will hold its inaugural meeting in Daventry on 11th March, with local MP Chris Heaton-Harris as Chairman. Local boaters have had exploratory meetings with Daventry Council leaders and senior officers who have obviously been  'very supportive'.

Detailed planning permission is shortly to be sought for the new canal arm off the Grand Union Canal, half a mile East of Braunston Tunnel. First mooted in 1793, in the Grand Junction Canal Act, but never completed, the Daventry Canal is a key element in Daventry District Council's master plan for town centre redevelopment.

Three years to start

Once the permission is obtained, expected by the Autumn, the council has three years to begin work, failing which the permission will lapse. But this won't happen, according to the boaters behind the establishment of a Daventry Canal Association. They expect to start towards the end of the summer.

Northampton Inland Waterways Association Branch Member Dean Hawkey comments:

"Obviously, this is a difficult time in which to develop a new canal. Councils are short of funds, and development companies are wary of making commitments, but Daventry Council is convinced that the new canal will be self financing, once built.

"If we were to rely upon conventional development methods, construction could take forever. The trick will be to marshal volunteer resources to make it happen. I'd like to see the new association seek out sponsorship.

"That was never available in the heyday of canal building but today sponsors might be keen to be associated with a unique green development. If we can build up local volunteer teams to take part in canal construction and turn to recognised national expertise, for example in the Waterways Recovery Group, for advice and guidance, we might just pull it off."

Against the waterway

But first the association has to formally constitute itself and elect interim officers, expected on 11th March.

However, a poll of residents of Daventry last year when the council put the matter of the new waterway to the vote, resulted in 2,300 against and 721 in favour, showing that many rate payers were concerned at the colossal cost that they could possibly end up paying.