LETTERS: Still no actual evidence offered on canal and boat lift scheme
Unfortunately I’m afraid that Colin hasn’t provided any actual evidence, but only assertions based on what I consider to be invalid comparisons with other canal tourist locations.
I can understand that people other than boaters will travel to see important sites of historical and international interest, such as Stoke Bruerne – including the Blisworth Tunnel – and the Anderton lift, especially if there is easy road access and some supporting infrastructure such as a museum, restaurant, pub, car parking, visitor centre and so on, but I have seen nothing to suggest that anything of the sort is planned for the Daventry Lift.
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Hide AdThe council tries to make a very forced claim for historicity by referring to the original 18th century plans for a canal link to Daventry, but I can’t really see that being much of a draw for what will be an entirely modern construction.
I have looked at the information on the Daventry District Council website, and again so far as I can see there are plenty of assertions – for example, the somewhat amazing claim that the lift will be the equivalent of Anthony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North sculpture standing alongside the Great North Road – but no evidence, and precious little detail.
For example, is it proposed to provide the sort of infrastructure that exists at the sites that Colin thinks are comparable – road access to the site of the lift?
A car park?
A visitor centre?
A cafe, coffee bar, or pub?
A heritage museum?
Boat rides up and down the Lift of the sort that Colin mentions for the hundreds of tourists that he seems to expect?
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Hide AdThe council must have some evidence to support its claims for increased tourism but I can’t find it, though I think I remember some sort of consultancy report some years ago.
My request last time was simply to see the evidence, and I repeat that request.
Most importantly, what independent evidence is there that people in any numbers will want to take their barges up a one-way canal to park in Daventry?
Finally, Colin makes a good point about protecting the country park.
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Hide AdSome of his colleagues (Alan Hills and Chris Long) will remember that I became something of a nuisance to the council several years ago, probably before Colin was involved, in arguing for a really significant green buffer zone between any Church Fields development and the park.
A canal would be better than nothing certainly, but not in my opinion as good or as attractive as a hundred meter wide stretch of managed woodland.