Case 1: The Bull’s Bridge Light Industrial Development

In 1997, British Waterways set up the London Waterways Partnership (LWP) as an agent for the government’s Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) scheme.  The objective was to channel £10 million funding into waterways projects in the London area.  It was a key requirement of the SRB that funding decisions were independent.

In practice, British Waterways put great pressure on LWP’s SRB funding decisions.  Funds awarded to BW were kept without the projects for which they were agreed being completed and without BW putting in the match funding that they had promised in their funding applications.  Without consulting LWP, BW also clawed back SRB funds awarded to non-BW projects.

In 2001, British Waterways London Region applied for £245,000 of SRB funding to assist in the regeneration of Bull’s Bridge, a run-down site at the junction of the Grand Union Canal and the Paddington Branch in the London Borough of Hillingdon.  In their application, British Waterways undertook to commit £1.72 million of BW funding to the project. 

The stated objective was to provide a number of light industrial units, relocate some BW operational facilities to the site and improve  boaters’ facilities.  The project was not in the SRB delivery plan and technically should not have been allowed.  

In their funding application BW stated ‘BW’s project authorisation and control mechanisms will ensure the project is delivered on time and to budget.’  In the same application, BW also stated that the project would be complete by January 2004.

BW’s commitment to the project evaporated as soon as they had used the SRB funds to pay off the existing tenants at the site giving BW complete control over its future development.  

In February 2007, three years after the project was due to be completed, the site still lies derelict - nothing further has been done. There are no light industrial units, no improved boater’s facilities and BW has not made the investment promised in its SRB application.  

At a meeting of the LWP board in September 2001 before the SRB grant was made, British Waterways made a commitment to return the funds if the project did not go ahead.  Did BW keep this promise?