Further to the posting of the IWA's comments on this planning
application, please see below BW's own submission:

Dear Sirs

Planning Application No: 06/0355/DW/M
Proposal: Deemed Planning Permission - Extension to Multi-Storey Car
Park, Railway Drive, Wolverhampton
Location: Network Rail Multistorey Carpark

Thank you for your letter dated March 27. 2006, concerning the above
application.

Under the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure),
(Amendment) Order 1997, British Waterways became a statutory
consultee for planning applications that have the potential to
affect the safety and integrity of any waterway, reservoir, canal
feeder, channel, watercourse, let off or culvert owned or managed by
British Waterways.

British Waterways also has other duties under the British Waterways
Act 1995, to safeguard and protect the heritage and environment of
the inland canal and river navigations they own and manage. Such
duties are also very relevant to the development control process.

In light of these duties, British Waterways has no alternative but
to object to the proposal based on the drawings submitted because
they are inconsistent in the details shown.

Furthermore the following Jacobs Babtie drawings show levels 3 and 9
over sailing British Waterways' property, which is unacceptable to
British Waterways:
19961/10 Rev 0
19961/14 Rev 0
19961/16 Rev 0

Drawing No. 19961/09 Rev A 'South East Elevation' - Annotation is
too small to read and as such we cannot comment on the content of
this drawing.

With regards to the Canal Edge treatment British Waterways finds the
proposal disappointing as it indicates that only the bare minimum
amount of work will be carried out along the canal edge and nothing
will be made of the space above the Canal towpath.
The small portion of land is a `left-over' space which will become
filled with litter and more could be made of it and used for a small
lighting or art installation or a hanging garden.
British Waterways would require further clarification is required
about the appearance of the new concrete retaining wall and of the
new security fencing along the edge of the canal wall above the
Towpath.

The fencing should be of good quality painted Black or Invisible
Green.

Clarification would also required on whether any lighting is planned
for the towpath below the carpark as the space will feel extremely
dark and enclosed.

Other general comments:

British Waterways should be consulted on; the clearance of the site
(including demolition), foundation details and boundary details.

British Waterways is not a drainage authority and as such the design
for the development should not include for disposal of surface water
to the canal either by drainage detail or surface water run-off.

British Waterways offer no right of support to the adjacent
property. The land owner should take appropriate steps to ensure
that their works do not adversely affect the canal wall at this
location.

The developer should take measures to ensure that protection is
afforded within the permanent works design to prevent vehicles from
entering the canal from the site.

Adequate provision should be made for the prevention of pollution
from vehicles using the site. The developer should discuss drainage
proposals with British Waterways, where there is potential for
impact on the canal.

All works with the potential to affect British Waterways'
structures, operations or customers must be planned, designed and
undertaken in accordance with the document entitled the Code of
Practice for Works affecting British Waterways. The developer may be
requested to enter into an agreement with British Waterways to cover
the costs of dealing with this development. Also the developer
should note that the development may require an application to be
lodged under the Party Wall act.

Access to British Waterways property for construction purposes and
in the permanent condition will require written permission of
British Waterways.

As part of its statutory duties, British Waterways will be
monitoring the impact of its response on the subsequent planning
decision and if approval is given, how the development proceeds. To
aid this process it is important that decision notices and
conditions are forwarded to the contact identified below:

In some cases, it may be necessary for an applicant to enter into a
property or works agreement with British Waterways prior to the
development taking place. I would be grateful if you could draw
this to the attention of the applicant as appropriate.

Any feedback on the comments and recommendations made above should
be forwarded in the first instance to me. Depending on the nature
of the enquiry, other British Waterways' staff will respond to
specific specialist issues.