BUDE-STRATTON Town Council has pledged its support to the Bude Canal and Harbour Society for vital works needed to make the canal fully navigable.

The meeting of the full council heard last Thursday evening, January 4, that two letters had been sent on behalf of the society — one from Cornwall Councillor for Bude, Cllr Peter La Broy (Lib Dem), and another from the society itself — to the cabinet of Cornwall Council, who once assisted with the first phase of the society’s regeneration project.

Mayor, Cllr Peter Moores, told the meeting that the society has been looking for investment from Cornwall Council to enable them to enhance the canal and the lock gates, to ensure the ‘future navigability of the canal’.

The meeting heard that Cornwall Council had since responded to a request for investment, of which they said they have ‘set down regarding European funding’ and are ‘not prepared to do any more work or support further works’ for the time being.

Cllr La Broy explained the leader of the county council, Cllr Adam Paynter (Lib Dem), has said that Cornwall Council has no plans in place to invest in the works, but could ‘potentially take this forward if the resources are made available’.

Cllr La Broy said, regarding a response to the county council: “I think if we stand there and say that this is what we want, we would be in a much stronger position.”

Despite this news, town councillors came to a resolution that they would fully support the aspirations of the Bude Canal and Harbour Society.

During the 15 minutes of public speaking time, Chris Jewell, honourary treasurer of the society, said: “I’d like to thank Peter (Cllr La Broy) for his letter that he wrote, and that the town council are to take this on board. Other people from the society will also be writing (to Cornwall Council).”

He explained that the lock gates on the inland locks are currently not in use, meaning they can dry out during this time.

Chris added: “It’s nice to hear someone recognise that Bude Canal is important to the local environment.”

In April 2009, both Cornwall Council was created and the Bude Canal and Harbour Society completed ‘implementation phase 1’ of its regeneration project. Since the completion of phase 1, the society has been trying to get Cornwall Council to invest further into phase 2 of the project, which would complete outstanding items of the project that were unable to be completed in phase 1.

The three elements of the project that were not completed included the replacement of Rodds Bridge, reconnecting the canal to Helebridge Basin, and installing a slipway above Falcon Bridge.

The replacement of the low fixed bridge at Rodds Bridge with a moveable structure and providing at least one slipway to allow trailboats access to the canal were the works needed to ‘allow the full navigation of the canal from Bude to Helebridge’, according to Chris.

Up to 2015, it was understood that this would be achievable in the future when funds were made available, but the society has since tried to get confirmation from Cornwall Council that this was a long-term objective, with no such commitment given.

In September, the society wrote two letters to Cornwall Council in relation to concern of the navigation of the canal and the maintenance of the canal.

In December, Cllr La Broy wrote to Cllr Paynter, which received a reply stating that although the council has no plans to develop a project ‘to make the canal fully navigable or replace the bridge’, it ‘does have capital investment in works on the lock gates and the de-silting of the canal’.

Cllr Paynter went on to say: “Currently it would be difficult to demonstrate a robust business case in terms of investment and economic out-turn. Should a funding stream become available, then the council would consider identifying this as a project to take forward, subject to resources being made available.”

Since Bude-Stratton Town Council’s decision to submit their comments to Cornwall Council stating that they are fully supportive of the society’s objectives in relation to navigation, Chris has extended his grateful thanks to both the council and Cllr La Broy for his writing to the council leader.

Speaking about the Whalesborough Lock, Chris said: “The gates are not operating correctly and the pound paddles need attention. Work is also needed to deal with water from above the lock gates leaking into the lock chamber through the sidewalls. The de-silting is an ongoing maintenance problem. We support all the maintenance work carried out by Cornwall Council.”

The society’s concerns regarding the inland locks at Rodds Bridge and Whalesborough include the outer gates being left open, meaning they are not regularly immersed in water, due to boats being unable to navigate the canal and therefore leaving the locks unused.

The society has since sought advice from the Inland Waterways Association, which suggested contacting Cornwall Council to explain that the inland locks should be left full of water with the lower gates closed on a long-term basis. Chris has reported they have not yet received a response in regards to this matter.

Chris continued: “We are aware of the constraints under which Cornwall Council operate but we are disappointed that, yet again, they appear to dismiss the importance of the Bude Canal and the Bude Valley to Bude both as a social and commercial source of benefit.

"If navigation could be achieved, it would broaden the tourist infrastructure for Bude and, to some extent, Cornwall, and would be an income stream for Cornwall Council. It would also recognise the ingenuity of Georgian engineers and, in particular, James Green, in this venture.

“Building the canal gave Bude a safe haven and harbour, which increased trade and employment in this isolated corner of Cornwall. This was the catalyst for social change and the creation of Bude as a major town in North Cornwall. The canal was 35 ½ miles long, had a sea lock, two inland locks, six inclines planes powered by water, which hauled up tub boats, which carried up to five tones of lime-rich sand for use on the land. It is true to say that Bude was built on sand, both literally and commercially.”

The society believes that any further investment committed by Cornwall Council would benefit tourism in Bude. Phase 1 of the regeneration project resulted in an increase in the use of the canal, which helped local businesses, the Post learned.

On July 23, 2019, Bude Canal and Harbour Society will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the start of construction of Bude Canal. The society has suggested to Cornwall Council that navigation could be restored on the canal by this time.