Waterways

Service Outline

Manchester City Council is leading the regeneration and rejuvenation of waterways citywide, Rivers and canals are being brought back to life and will provide long-term benefits for both people and wildlife.

The waterways of Manchester are a major asset for the city and provide significant opportunities to raise the profile of the city through a range of complementary regeneration initiatives. They include rivers, tributaries and canals in varying conditions and of contrasting characters, from urban to semi-rural.

A study was commissioned to examine the existing and future role of waterways and how they can tie in with the exciting changes that Manchester is undergoing. The strategy was developed in the context of a changing policy background.

Statutory legislation such as the European Water Framework Directive aims to encourage member states to improve water quality and provide river basin management plans by 2015, and will be the major policy driver for river management over the next twenty years.

The local development plan for the city is now under review, and the strategy provides a perfect opportunity to ensure that waterways are firmly entrenched in a strategic policy context.

The Vision

The potential that Manchester's waterways offer should be maximised for the benefit of local residents, the economy and environment of the city, bringing about sustainable regeneration, recreational and environmental benefits that are fully integrated into every walk of life in the city.

Priorities include

• High quality design
• Regeneration
• Environment and biodiversity
• Crime
• Community involvement
• Crime

More information

For more information on the Manchester Waterways Strategy, visit Manchester's Waterways Strategy website (external site) or contact Dave Barlow on 0161 234 4507 or by email d.barlow@manchester.gov.uk