CORNWALL Council is looking to ‘invest’ in Bude canal in the next 12 months.

An update on proposals for repair work to be carried out on Bude Canal and Harbour was given at the Bude Community Network Panel meeting at the Parkhouse Centre on Monday, October 10.

As time goes by, leaks and cracks start to appear in the area, meaning funding is needed.

Between 2007 and 2009, funding had been agreed to carry out improvements on the canal between Sea Lock and Helebridge Basin near Marhamchurch.

These works would have enabled the returning of navigation to the waterway between Falcon Bridge in Bude to Helebridge, the reinstatement of the two inland locks, dredging of the canal, a back-pumping system between Rodds Bridge and Whalesborough Pound, relaying the two miles of towpath, an underpass of the A39 at Helebridge, and works at Lower Wharf and Bark House Green amongst others.

However following the closure of North Cornwall District Council on April 1, 2009 and the formation of Cornwall Council, the meeting heard due to funding and other issues the works did not go ahead.

In 2010, The Bude Canal and Harbour Society published its next document, ‘Bude Canal Regeneration Project — Phase II’. This suggested that Bude Valley should be classified as a country park and encouraged the following:

l The replacement of Rodds Bridge to give the necessary headroom to allow boats to gain access to the canal.

l One or more slipways above Falcon Bridge to allow boats access to the canal.

l Extenstion of the cycle route to the county border.

l The development of Higher Wharf (owned by Cornwall Council), an area used by the community since 1967.

l The above development to provide premises for education and water sports facilities including a slipway to give access to the canal.

With it being seven years and four months since the formation of Cornwall Council, chairman of the society, Chris Jewell, spoke passionately of these issues and the importance of the canal and harbour to Bude’s tourism industry.

He handed over to Cornwall Council’s natural environment manager, Jon James, who presented some good news.

Mr James said: “We’re looking to invest in the canal; we’ve secured £225,000 for the improvements on the crates and to repair the locks.

“Hopefully we can carry out these works in the next 12 months.”

Bude’s countryside ranger, Gareth Cann, spoke on a whole range of issues in Bude but said that on the whole, the area is in a good way despite concerns over water management and a plant that is affecting the whole of the valley, despite efforts to try and minimise the risk.

The structures group manager for Cornwall Council, Rob Causton, gave a much less promising timescale on when work may start.

Mr Causton said: “Rodds Bridge is one of 1,500 bridges in Cornwall, and one of 360 which have been graded as sub-standard.

“However at the moment is only 170 out of 360 in terms of neccessity.

“Unfortunately each year I’m only given £3.2-million to spend on these structures and last year we had to spend £2.3-million on one while a lot of money also goes on reactive maintenance to keep these bridges going.”

Mr Causton then went through a number of the other types of bridge available, including a lift bridge which would cost £500,000, a swingbridge and a footbridge but that work will take place in the near future.

Mr James then was asked about the importance of dredging the canal, by a representative from the Bude Canal Angling Association, but with the additional funding hopefully granted, Mr James was hoping that the left over money from the canal repair works could be used for dredging.

Mr James said: “At the moment the priority is for the improvements to the lockgates, but hopefully once we’ve worked out how much that’s going to cost, we can then use the rest of the money for dredging to take place.

“But before the dredging can take place, we need to consult with the relevant authorities on the main areas of importance and the levels of silt in the water. However, it will probably take another 12 months before it’s done.”

The next question asked was by Mr Jewell and Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Poundstock Nicky Chopak about the validity of a slipway for the boats to get through.

However, Mr James told of the importance of assessing the impact and whether it was worthwhile. He maintained that for money to be granted, clear evidence has to be shown of the positive impact it will have on the area.

Mr Jewell, clearly agitated at the lack of progress, then bemoaned the lack of funding, stating that: “If it wasn’t for the London Olympics then all of these works would have been done.”