§ Sir Anthony DurantTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what part regeneration plays in British Waterways' management and operation of the canal network. [20606]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesWaterways provide an important catalyst for urban and rural regeneration. One of British Waterways' aims is to promote and accommodate conservation and regeneration. In doing so it works with a range of partners in the private, public and voluntary sectors.
An excellent example of the role of canals in regeneration is the Birmingham waterfront where over £300 million of private sector finance has been attracted to developments alongside British Waterways' canals. Another success story is the joint investment of £7 million by British Waterways and Gloucester city council in Gloucester docks which has attracted over £30 million in private finance. The shift in the city's focus to the docks has seen the numbers employed rise from 100 to 2,000 and tourism visits rise from a few thousand to over 1 million. In Scotland the millennium link, aided by £32 million from the Millennium Commission, will create 4,200 permanent jobs and attract £400 million of private investment along the 70-mile waterway corridor.