Boats cannot solve housing problems

I have just skimmed through the London Assembly Report on moorings which was forwarded by the GLA to members of the London Waterways Commission, writes Del Brenner.

My first impression is that the long term future of our canals could be seriously compromised if our waterways take on the role of ‘real estate' and extensive development of static residential moorings, at the expense of bringing our canals back to life.

Cannot solve housing problem

London's canals cannot solve the capital's housing problems. A few hundred residences will count for far less than one percent of the city's housing needs. Residential use of our canals has become significant, but will the further loss of navigations and peaceful havens in the tumult of the city be worth it?

I asked Jenny Jones at a London Waterways Commission meeting when she presented the launch of her investigations into moorings if she was considering that there was a limit to the number of residential boats on London's canals. It surprised me that there was a bit of outrage at my suggestion, and I received a strong rebuttal—but no answer to my question.

Land based problem

The answer to the housing shortage is a land based problem to be solved by the boroughs, and most prominently by the Mayor. One wonders if Boris Johnson has lost the plot, or just very heavily compromised, when there is a predication in today's Evening Standard headlined '20,000 new homes we can't afford' relating to plans for a mass of concrete skyscrapers beside the Thames at Vauxhall. The Mayor is not effectively controlling the huge and towering developments that are ruining London's communities, let alone the skyline, for the benefit of the wealthy and overseas investors, but sadly not for Londoners.

Our canals have more to offer, much more, than a few acres of real estate.

A bit of thought

Having also briefly seen the Press Release from Canal & River Trust, I note the change in style which seems slightly more realistic rather than their predictable wishy-washy and insincere remarks, and it just may be that someone is putting a bit of thought into it rather than trotting out the usual banality. That is, except for the last paragraph:

'The Canal & River Trust is a charity set up to care for 2,000 miles of waterways on behalf of the nation. In London it cares for around 100 miles of canals, rivers and docks which are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year. The Trust is actively encouraging communities to get more involved in their local waterways through adopting stretches of canal to volunteering as lock keepers or becoming towpath rangers. This month more than 800 Londoners took the opportunity to walk through a drained lock chamber in Camden and learn about the work it takes to care for the Capital's waterways'.

Mind you, the biggest problem will be implementation, and for CaRT to finally get around to some effective administration and control, for which they have a very poor record particularly in the ‘zero management' London Region, and ‘fingers crossed' may not be enough to solve that insurmountable problem.

[Del Brenner is Secretary of Regents Network and member of the London Waterways Commission, and we appreciate his knowledgeable contributions.]