ATIS Real Weatheralls - Mixed-Use Development - France, Roubaix Canal

Date: 15 Mar 2002

ATIS Real Weatheralls has been awarded a major instruction, as part of a specialist team, to provide regeneration and development advice to a grouping of Lille Métropole Planning Department, French Waterways (Voies Navigables de France) and smaller local authority groups involved with the 20 km long Roubaix Canal.

The canal is being restored to navigation, opening up a cross-border link from the Deûle in France to the Scheldt in Belgium.

The consultancy role is part of a joint project with French sister-company ATIS Real Auguste Thouard, British Waterways, Euromapping, Beckett & Co and Land & Water Consulting. ATIS Weatheralls’ task will be to look at ways of improving the environmental quality of the canal and to identify development opportunities at up to 30 sites along its banks.

Jeremy Edge, director – regeneration at ATIS Weatheralls, says: “The UK connection was particularly appealing to Lille Métropole, since it is keen to replicate the success of schemes such as Brindley Place in Birmingham and Limehouse Basin in east London.

“The French canals should not be confused with the likes of the Grand Union canal in England – they are larger, and provide more water space and more public land lending itself to development.

“We are in an excellent position to make the most of our experience and to provide advice on how the canal’s value can be maximised across a full range of residential, industrial and office development.”

Phase one of the project will involve appraising current projects which are in progress along the canal and proposing new schemes. The team will then create a development strategy which will be followed by a final report, providing a socio-economic evaluation of development projects and their impact on the canal and surrounding area.

“This is an important instruction and could open the door to many more such projects across France’s vast canal network,” adds Edge.

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