The law of unexpected consequence?
BRITISH Waterways and Canal & River Trust have in the past, been criticised for their dealings with the private 'property development sector', writes Pam Pickett.
British Waterways had a large portfolio of potentially valuable waterside property in the form of old work yards, wharves etc. Many of these potentially valuable properties were/are in the centre of large cities with the current resurgence of interest in regeneration adding to their value. Nevertheless, they will no doubt be considered 'brown field sites' which some claim may detract from their re-development value.
Behind closed doors
Selling off these properties has however usually been done 'behind closed doors' (commercial confidentiality?) despite being of considerable interest to taxpayers, local residents and of course we boaters.
Quite by chance however and rather ironically, I feel I have come across such a development in its early stages. This thanks to the unpleasant manner in which Tony Dunkley has been treated by the CaRT Enforcement Team based in Newark, when it was realised that his commercial boat was now moored in the midst of this planned re-development.
(Fair to mention here that I have though since been requested to pass on an apology to Tony Dunkley on behalf of CaRT that agrees the lack of necessity to have accused Tony of mooring illegally, when instead a letter of explanation of the impending sale of the site could (and should) first have been sent.)
Monitor the progress
However having inadvertently, thanks to CaRT's Enforcement Team 'dropped in' so to speak notice of this planned re-development of the Meadow Lane Wharf on which Tony Dunkley's boat currently lies, it will be interesting to monitor the progress of this re-development.
The planning application for which is currently 'pending consideration' and to inform boaters of the processes involved in turning waterside properties (our family silver) into cash for CaRT to spend on the maintenance of the navigations.
This after all is what it is all about, isn't it?