Canal Trust maintains objection to Oasis plans

The trust, which is working to restore the historic canal that pre-dates the arrival of the Great Western Railway, says it does not oppose the principle of restoring the Oasis, but rather wishes to ensure that in accordance with council policy, any development does not prevent the canal's restoration along its protected line.

A spokesperson said: "We are pleased to note that Seven Capital have accepted this and have changed their plans since they first met with us, but we are disappointed that the application does not quite achieve this, though it is a big step forward.

"After our last meeting with Seven Capital we proposed a solution that protects the canal corridor with minimal changes to the proposed scheme and presented it to them, asking for a further meeting. We regret that they have not responded to this request, nor have they changed their plans further to accommodate this proposal.

"Seven years ago, when the 'Snowdome' proposal was put forward, we proposed a similar solution that we felt was workable; unfortunately it was ignored.

"Our Engineers find that the present proposals contain significant deficiencies, so should not be the basis for development in their present form."

The trust says the sketch designs presented are unacceptable in that reconstruction of a workable canal would not be possible, and that restoration of the canal along the proposed line would mean constructing it over the Western Flyer cycleway and on top of a large sewer, meaning the canal would need to be constructed alongside them, between the existing cycleway and the Oasis site." 

In addition, the trust says, the width allowed is not sufficient.
The spokesperson added: "We are therefore, sadly, compelled to maintain our objection to the proposals because they do not safeguard the canal route adequately. 

"If, however, the schemes are consented at this stage, we ask for an Informative to be added to the decision notice saying that the Council expects any reserved matters application to be designed to ensure the protection of the canal route in such a way that the canal can be properly restored with sufficient width, the lock, bridges and towpath to form an exciting component of the Oasis redevelopment and the whole canal restoration.

"We have no wish to stand in the way of progress in Swindon. Our proposals come not from self-interest, but from evidence from elsewhere that canal restoration in line with Council Policy EN11 brings with it recreational, environmental, economic and other benefits (including employment) to the communities through which they pass.

"We are not doing this for us, we are doing it for Swindon!"
 

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