8 Economy
The Trust considers that canal corridors represent an opportunity for environmental improvement and regeneration within urban areas as well as a contributor towards local economies in rural areas. The canal is a valuable multi-functional community resource which can serve in a variety of roles including:
* An agent of or catalyst for regeneration;
* A contributor to water supply and transfer, drainage and flood management;
* A tourism, cultural, sport, leisure and recreation resource;
* A heritage landscape, open space and ecological resource;
* Sustainable modes of transport; and
* Routes for telecommunication.
(TCPA Policy Advice Note: Inland Waterways: Unlocking the potential and securing the future of inland waterways through the planning system (2009)).
The canal can therefore contribute significantly towards the vitality and viability of the District. Waterways contribute to regional and local economies through providing tourist/visitor attractions and supporting SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and jobs within the marine sector in manufacturing, tourism and services and can act as a focus for urban renaissance, regeneration and diversification in urban and rural contexts. The economic benefits that can be achieved from maximising the multi-functional potential of the canal network can cut across a range of themes in the draft Local Plan, including the enhancement of the historic environment, leisure, tourism and recreation, promoting healthy and inclusive communities and green infrastructure provision. The potential to deliver such wide-ranging economic benefits and to support economic growth (a core aim of current government advice and guidance contained in the NPPF) is worthy of recognition within PO8.