Restoration Plan WEST

1 The Mission : ("Tunnel Vision")

To restore to full working order as a navigable waterway, the derelict canal lying dormant between the Hawne Basin in Halesowen and the Western Portal of the Lapal Tunnel in Lapal.

This is to be done under the aegis of the Lapal Canal Trust (LCT) whose full Vision is the complete restoration of the entire '5-mile' length of disused canal between Hawne Basin in Halesowen and the W&B in Selly Oak, via the Lapal Tunnel.
When completed, this will have restored the '11-mile' Dudley Number Two Canal to its former strategic importance as a Navigation along a level waterway, without locks.

The entire length of derelict line - now known as The Lapal Canal, since the formation of The Lapal Canal Trust in 1990 - conveniently divides into three restoration Projects;

This Plan for the restoration of the Western Approach (the "Halesowen Canal") is one 'third' of the full Vision.
It was prepared by the Western Approach Planning/Projects Group (WAPG; a sub-Committee of LCT) to indicate that restoration and subsequent preservation of the canal is a viable Mission.
However, all recommendations contained herein are made in good faith and are subject to the future outcomes of detailed engineering surveys, public consultation, and the availability of sufficient funds.

(The LCT has a complementary plan for the Selly Oak Extension Canal; the "Eastern Approach Plan")

2 The General Strategy : ("making ends meet")

Recognising that the Lapal Tunnel - the fourth longest in the UK - requires restoration tasks of mammoth proportions, the LCT has the general strategy to restore first, the derelict canal incrementally along its two Approaches. This will provide navigable extensions to existing waterways; Hawne Basin for the Western Approach (and the W&B for the Eastern Approach), and contribute additional waterway amenities within the existing West Midlands system (the BCN), regardless of whether or not the major funding requirement for the Lapal Tunnel is eventually realised. That is the LCT regard the restoration of the Eastern and Western Approach Canals as viable and desirable projects in their own rights.
(While the Tunnel remains sealed at landscaped Portals, provisional planning and costing can not be undertaken. The very nominal cost ("guestimate") is set at £17.5M.)

3 The Western Strategy : 

3.1 General

Translating the general strategy onto the Western Approach Project, a further three principal sub-divisions of the incremental task have been identified, for restoration in the phased order;

These principal divisions are fully defined and further sub-divided (e.g. LW1N) in a separate table .

In practice, each of the above sections may be sub-divided to allow pre-restoration works to be targeted at specific issues prior to full restoration. In particular, the Leasowes Embankment has already been the subject of (incomplete) restoration activities, towards liberating it as an interim linear lake to the add to the recreational amenities of the district.

3.2 The Towpath Issue

3.2.1 Towpath Strategy

It is of considerable importance that pedestrian access is preserved and enhanced, while remaining friendly to wheelchairs, prams and pedal cycles (but not motor-cycles).  Integration with the towpath of the restored canal would provide appropriate enhancement and the "wheels access" requirement can be achieved if all bridges have gradual-incline ramp approaches. Fortunately, in all cases, there is sufficient space for bridges to be designed to meet this requirement. Towpaths, being perfectly level and flat, are particularly friendly to wheelchair users and provide a specific recreational amenity for such persons and their companions.

3.2.2 The Lapal Greenway

(paragraph awaited)

3.2.3 The Tunnel Towpath

Being 2.2 miles long, the Lapal Tunnel was constructed as a minimum-width single-vessel bore without towpath. (It was nominally 9 ft wide, but only 7ft 9in in some places.) Prior to the pumping-station 'accelerator' (devised by Thomas Brewin and located near the Western Portal), all boats navigated by the crew "legging" the vessel through the tunnel. To meet today's Health and Safety criteria it has to be considered that, subject to funds and engineering evaluations, the Tunnel should be re-bored to a width which at least includes an emergency escape walkway and service ducting (also see 3.4), but might be bored to a width that allows bi-directional working. In principle, this walkway may be constructed on either side of the re-bore. However, the towpath on the Western Approach was along the southern flank so a south-side inclusion in the Tunnel would be directly compatible with it. Accordingly, it is proposed in the eastern Approach Plan that the towpath be located on the south side, at least in the immediate vicinity of the Western Portal. Also, by being on the south-side it would form a pedestrian route to the St Mary's Abbey heritage site and so preserve the country footpath which presently passes over the land. Thus from several disparate viewpoints, a south-side towpath is to be favoured.

3.3 Amenity and Safety

Many of the adjoining and nearby properties include young families and the issue of water safety will be uppermost in the minds of many residents, now and in the future. The need to allay such fears is not unique to this particular canal restoration project, but the LCT is developing a Schools Liaison programme. The provision of lifebuoys at regular intervals along the towpath would be prudent. These could be co-sited with litter bins (and ramblers' "you-are-here" maps).

3.4 Wayleaves

When 'switching' the towpath in places, and reconstructing it elsewhere, it may be expedient to bury uncommitted ducting in anticipation that it may be adopted as Wayleave that accrues significant income. Already the W&B canal has a Telecommunications Fibre service installed beneath its towpath as part of a major UK "superhighway" provision. As that Network expands over the next decade or so, the entire Dudley No 2 Canal might be deemed to be a strategic branch and the income from such a Wayleave provision could be beneficial in offsetting some of the restoration costs (of the Lapal 'half' and the routine maintenance costs of the viable western 'half').

3.5 The Water Management Issue

When restored, a previously derelict canal presents an additional load on existing water supplies due to its evaporation and seepage losses. Although modern restoration methods ensure that seepage is negligible, evaporation is inevitable (particularly in hot, dry weather). However, the restored Lapal Canal need not contribute to such losses if it incorporates the natural water supply of the Tunnel and also the Stonehouse Brook, in the Eastern Approach. Indeed, British waterways have recognised both sources as 'net providers' of water for the adjacent canal system.

4. Tunnel Restoration

Whatever strategy is eventually adopted for restoration of the Tunnel, consideration must be given to the access requirements for heavy plant and the extraction of spoil.  Therefore, the LCT-WAPG recommends that the Abbey Lands - Fish Ponds Bend Sub-section might not be restored until the Tunnel restoration is undertaken.  In turn, this suggests that restoration of the entire Phase-3 project - Heritage Flank - might be deferred until a provisional Plan has been formulated for the Tunnel, St Mary's approach and the A456 crossing provision.

5. Preparatory Actions - "PR":

Each phased restoration project requires substantial funds that are not yet available.  Many potential sources of funding are only made available to projects that are supported by local residents.  Given the large number of houses that flank this canal, a substantial public relations exercise is being carried out, particularly towards those residents who have concerns over the safety of a restored Halesowen Canal.

6. Recipients of Plan

Part of the rationale for constructing this preliminary Plan, and pledging to revise and maintain it as an "organic" document reflecting the latest developments, is that it may be offered to the local companies and other interested parties in and for the locality.  These will include Residents' Associations, "Friends" of local amenities (e.g. Halesowen Abbey Trust, Halesowen Township Council), Neighbourhood Watches, Youth Groups, Schools, Councillors, MPs, and to private individuals who join the Trust (as part of their Welcome Pack).

7. Acknowledgements

This Plan was produced by The Western Approach Projects Group (“WAPG”; a Sub-committee of The Lapal Canal Trust). Particular thanks are extended to David Carson for his preparation of this material.

 

	Strategy	Plan	Phase-1	Phase-2	Phase-3
			Parkland	Backland Meander	Heritage Flank
Western Approach Canal :	West	West	Hawne Basin / Leasowes Park	Abbeyfields	St Mary's
Eastern Approach Canal :	East	East	Battery Park / Selly Oak Park	Lodge Hill	Weoley Castle