Councillors to consider canal funding options

The 2.6km stretch of waterway, which would connect the nearby Grand Union Canal to Daventry town centre, is part of Daventry District Council’s vision to encourage visitors to Daventry and contribute to major regeneration and development of the area.

Members of the council’s strategy group will meet on Thursday, July 6 to discuss funding options for the scheme, which received planning permission in January this year.

With the full delivery of the canal arm costing approximately £23million, the proposals focus on building the canal in phases, with the council funding an initial section through its capital budgets – money it uses to invest in land and property which is separate to that spent on the day-to-day running of services.

Options proposed involve the council spending between £4.515m and £8.715m on the first phase, with the money gradually reimbursed to the authority through the Community Infrastructure Levy scheme – planning charges paid by developers of new housing to fund local infrastructure projects.

Work would also continue on securing external investment for the proposals and to explore future grant funding opportunities. The report outlines the benefits and disbenefits, risks and financial implications of proceeding with the project.

At their meeting this week, councillors will also consider whether to progress with work on preparing a planning application for an inclined plane boatlift, as an alternative to four of the locks in the full Canal Arm.

After the strategy group’s meeting, the recommendations would then be considered by all members at a meeting of the full council on 27 July.

To view the Canal Arm report and other items on this week’s Strategy Group agenda, visit

http://cmis.daventrydc.gov.uk/daventry/Meetings/tabid/70/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/397/Meeting/815/Committee/2/Default.aspx