Declarations of interest:
None
Officers:
James Taylor, Strategic Manager BCA
Fiona Shipp, Canal Manager BCA
Key
points raised during the discussion:
- Officers explained
that 90% of the canal is designated as a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) and that, resultant of this, the owning authorities
had a duty to protect and enhance this status.
- It was explained by
officers that there was a requirement to implement a conservation
management plan in order to ensure that conservation of the SSSI
was considered and to satisfy the regulator. It was highlighted
that, if no management plan was in place, there would be a need to
negotiate with the regulator for most of the canal’s
business. Officers explained that the plan was in need of review as
the last iteration had come to the end of its ten-year life.
.
- It was explained that
the Conservation Management Plan was a technical document developed
in partnership with the BCA, Basingstoke Canal Society (BCS),
Natural England and other experts as part of the Conservation
Steering Group.
- It was noted that the
agreed Conservation Management Plan had been formally Assented by
Natural England. The representative from Natural England stressed
that they had confidence in the report and that it was a good
compromise between conservation and recreation interests.
- Members from the BCS
noted the powered boat limit and stressed that in some areas of the
canal there may be a potential for increasing the limit. It was
suggested by the BCS that conservation efforts should not constrain
financial viability. Officers and Natural England stressed that the
limit on powered boat movements was agreed at the upper limit to
ensure commercial viability and that they felt that this was
adequate to retain commercial viability whilst ensuring that the SSSI was maintained. Officers explained
that the formula of the upper limit of boat movements was contained
in an appendix to within the plan, based on a piece of research
published previously by Dr Eaton (a leading botanist and former
advisor to the CSG).
- Members questioned
what the effects of increased boat movements would be on the SSSI.
Officers explained that boat movements had the effected of
displacing silt material on the bed, which increased turbidity and
restricted sunlight to plants and aquatic life. It was also noted
that it had the potential to reduce vegetation width across the
canal, cause bank erosion and damage submerged plants.
- Members questioned
whether the SSSI was deteriorating and whether it would be
considered to be an SSSI in the future. The representative from
Natural England stressed that the canal was a site of national
importance. An SSSI could be de-notified where the protected
features had ceased to exist through natural processes, but it was
very unlikely that Basingstoke Canal SSSI would be de-notified in
the foreseeable future.
- It was noted that the
BCA had applied for some funding through the Water Environment
Grant to aid the authority to undertake its conservation
priorities.
RESOLVED:
- That the
Joint Management Committee noted the report