Leicester and its relationship with the River Soar and Grand Union Canal

This entry aims to examine the ways in which the natural and urban overlap and change with respect to one another over time and space in an urban setting. The entry will focus on Leicester and its relationship with the River Soar and Grand Union Canal.

History of the Canal

The Grand Union Canal runs for 66 miles, running parallel to the River Soar through Leicester. The Grand Union Canal begins at Brentford, London and ends in Birmingham with links to canals in the North Of England, making it a main transport route through England. Altogether the Grand Union Canal is 137 miles long, with 166 locks. This is a timeline of the main events in the history of the River Soar:

1634 – First plans to adapt the river

1776 – Act of Parliament to make the Soar navigable

1794 – Leicester canal opened

1809 – Leicestershire and Northamptonshire canal extended to Market Harborough but still no link to the Grand Junction Canal that runs between London and Birmingham

1814 – Link to Grand Junction Canal completed

1886 – Plans to widen the Grand Union

1900 – Plans to widen canal failed so inclined planes were introduced near Foxton

1901 – Efficiency of railways led to the decline of canal usage and enhancement

1910 – Foxton closes

1914 – World War One saw the downturn in trade and signalled the end of canals in commerce

1931 – The whole canal system was merged to form the Grand Union Canal that we know today

Present – Foxton inclined plane is a tourist sight and people use the canal for recreational purposes

This time line shows how nature was forgotten in a bid to 'conquer' the Soar in an effort to better the British economy, but how once the Soar was found to be unusable as an economic asset it was abandoned. It also illustrates the rise which nature has recently experienced, with many people keen to be part of nature and the natural environment as often as possible.

Impacts of industrialisation

In the late 18th century after the completion of the soar, the industrial revolution allowed the engineering industry to flourish and Leicester as a city was no exception to this. The canal encouraged industrial growth within the city as it provided a cheap way of transporting coal and iron into the town. However, this increase in river traffic also meant an increase in erosion along the banks of the river, which would not have been heeded at the time but which would be a concern now. In the 19th century new industries began to grow, especially iron works which became popular within the town. One example of this was the Vulcan works, which opened in 1878. The boot and show business also became popular within the town with an increase of over 2,500 shoemakers between 1831 and 1861. When the Leicester to Swannington railway opened in 1932 it allowed for a further boom in industry within Leicester. [http://groups.msn.com/CompletelyPast/leicestershistorypart2.msnw] With this rise in industry also came the rise of pollution, although the boot and showmaking factories were claimed to give little or no smoke. This would have contrasted with the amount of pollution created by the steelworks. However during the time nature was only just beginning to be appreciated by the public again. It was not until 1882 that Victoria Park was opened, most likely named after Queen Victoria who was ruling England at this time. By the 20th century, the engineering industry grew further, employing 6000 people in 1900, 13500 people in 1939 and 29000 people in the 1950s. Although by the time this further expansion had come about the railway had become more developed with better links than during previous expansion and was therefore more cost effective to use for transport than the rivers. This meant that they were sidelined within the city and nature was left to take its hold again.

Deindustrialisation Of The River

The land surrounding the River Soar has become deindustrialised due to the decline in the use of the river as a transport route. This decline has been strongly influenced by an increase in the use of other transport networks such as the motorway and railway. Both of these are readily and easily available in Leicester, with junction 21 of the M1 being accessible from the inner ring road and the main railway station located in the centre of Leicester. There are also many other stations located throughout Leicestershire. With the expansion of across the globe, international links are important. Leicester may not be close to the sea but there is the East Midlands airport. The airport is close to the M1, making it even more accessible for businesses choosing to locate in Leicester. Bearing this in mind, companies choosing where to locate their business would most likely opt for a location near a good road network. There has also been a shift from heavy industry to service industry. So whilst there is evidence of warehouses along the river, there are now service sites such as garages.

Redevelopment Along The River

Since the UK economy has switched from to sectors, development of transport systems has led the increased use of roads and railways and a switch in purpose of the canal from to recreation and tourism. The local government is trying to make the canal more aesthetically pleasing in order to make the canal more prosperous and enhance its profile.

Leicester’s Environmental Vision

The Leicester City Council want to increase the awareness of its environmental issues [www.environmentcity.org.uk/default.asp] by laying down ultimate goals for the city:

• Awareness of environmental issues for its people

• A clean and healthy living environment

• Widespread local amenities and non-polluting transport options

• Efficient use of energy, and water

• Minimise waste production and recycle

• Protect and enhance the wildlife habitats in the city and wider world

• Ensure that everyone can enjoy the clean, attractive local environment

Along the canal, new housing estates and business parks are being constructed that are taking advantage and utilising the provided by the river and canal. For example, Barratt Homes are building a new estate alongside the waterfront as they are hoping to use the natural environment as a selling point for their property. This is an example of the changing relationship between the city and the environment. Companies and the local government are trying to combine the natural areas of the city and emphasise the location of green spaces such as Aylestone meadows, castle gardens, Abbey Park and Belgrave gardens in relation to the location of the canal.

Future Of The River And Canal

Development along the river is ongoing. A science and technology park is projected for Abbey Meadows [http://www.leicesterregeneration.co.uk/project_waterfront.html] to boost the local economy and use the plentiful supply of graduates from the two universities in the city. This area was chosen because of the beautiful tree-lined riverside setting and its good access into and out of Leicester. At the moment, factories are lying dormant and derelict following the deindustrialisation along the river and canal, but this project will allow the city to be more attuned with the natural environment.

ummary

Local governments are now trying to attract people to their respective cities for tourist purposes in order to boost the local economy. Once again showing a shift from the use of the river as a form of economy and industry to that of recreation and leisure. Having green spaces and the natural environment within the city facilitates this as it adds another dimension to the modern cityscape. Rivers are just part of 'nature in the city', as the river winds its way through some of England's biggest cities, forcing them to take notice of nature and it's involvement and history within the city. The Soar is a good example of how a river has been used and the aspect of ature has changed priority within the cities thoughts. Over time there have been stark changes in the relationship between the city and the natural environment and there will no doubt be further changes in the future.