Local Enterprise Partnership supports B&MK Waterway Park

The Trust has recently received some very good news which will be important for us as we continue to promote the Waterway Park and seek funding for sections of the route. The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP), whose role is to help economic growth thrive across the region, has lent it’s support to the B&MK Waterway Park. Our recent Economic Analysis report prepared by Peter Brett Associates pointed to wide ranging benefits for the local economy when the Waterway Park is complete. With the availability of this new evidence the SEMLEP Board, which includes business leaders as well as key local councillors, has issued a statement not only supporting the Waterway Park but also agreeing to help us find sources of funding for sections of the route, including the culvert under the A421, and promote the project as an important aspect of the planned growth in the  Oxford/Milton Keynes/Cambridge Corridor.

The statement concludes:

“The SEMLEP Board strongly supports this project and recognises the significant economic and other benefits that would accrue from the completion of the waterway. This is particularly the case in the light of the contribution that this would make in the context of the Oxford – Milton Keynes – Cambridge Growth Corridor where blue green infrastructure will complement road and rail in terms of providing connectivity and enhanced economic, environmental and health benefits.

The Board will work with the B&MK Waterway Trust and other stakeholders to identify opportunities to fund the culvert under the A421 and the whole waterway park project going forwards.”

This is a major boost for the project and the B&MK Waterway Trust very much looks forward to working with SEMLEP (one of our B&MKW Consortium partners) in the future.

You can read the whole statement here:  BMKWT-SEMLEP-Board-Statement