After a false start last autumn when a Canal Strategy for Braunston was agreed by the Daventry Council Planning Committee, challenged as illegal and then set aside, a new strategy has now been adopted. At its meeting on 14 June, the Planning Committee confirmed many of the previous (non-controversial) decisions and took a new look at the two most contentious issues: car parking and additional moorings. This took into account the very recent acquisition of the "Greenacres" plot of land adjacent to the Stop House (BW Area Office). The Planning Committee were enthusiastic about development of the Greenacres site by BW for car parking and recognised the problems that BW face in financing this.

The Highways Agency have approved access from the A45 but BW will have to pay the estimated £175K - £200K that it will cost to widen the road; this is, of course, in addition to the actual cost of building the car park. BW are hoping to fund this from some form of retails outlet / restaurant. The Stategy has recognised this need by approving "possible other development" on the site in addition to the car park. Providing the whole scheme can be suitably financed it looks as if the long-running parking problem can be solved. [The earlier approvals for parking for ten cars near the bottom lock and at Site 6 (see below) were withdrawn.]

Some rearrangement of additional moorings (both long- and short-term) was agreed but the additional moorings at Site 3 which the Marina badly wanted were not approved.

The Strategy -

The decisions:

Site	Position	Suggested development
1	Adjacent to Midland Chandlers	Long- or short-term moorings	Approved
1	Adjacent to Midland Chandlers	Loos & Car Parking	Approved
2	Towpath	Long- or short-term moorings	Not approved
3	Wet-land in field adjacent to Marina	Long-term moorings	Not approved
4	Old railway station	Car Parking & Loos	Not approved *
5	Part of Mrs Clark's garden in Brindley Quays	Car Parking & Loos	Not approved
6	West end of Marina field	Car Parking & Loos	Not approved
7	Field adjacent to Bottom Lock	Car Parking	Not approved
7a	Old Lock Keeper's Office	Loos	Approved
8 & 9	Links from towpath to old railway	Re-esablish foot/cycle link to Daventry	Approved
10,11,12	Sections of towpath	General improvements needed	Approved
13	Non-towpath side before tunnel	Habitat improvement for Otters/Watervoles	Approved
14	Wood by Lock 2	Woodland management	Approved
15	Little Braunston (Bottom Lock)	Development to promote area as a visitor destination	Not approved
16	Old Pump House	Use as a museum	Approved **
26	"Greenacres" site	Car Parking and Loos via possible other development	Approved

* Manage the habitat but do not promote it.   ** Museum in Village Hall to be encouraged.

Other proposals considered included:

Links to existing Rights of Way - Approved but propsals to return to Planning Committee
Landscape improvements at various locations - Approved
Seating along towpaths/at locks - Approved
Improve Interpretation - involk a Signage Stategy - Approved but propsals to return to Planning Committee
Heritage Trail throughout area - Approved.

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