Taking forward opportunities afforded by recreational inland waterways for the development and realisation of business opportunities and creating attractive places near where people live and work.

The project implemented a number of themed initiatives on business and product development, waterway regeneration and the sustainable management of waterway resource.

Aim
The aim of the project was to develop a transnational framework to coordinate the sustainable development of inland waterways at national, regional and local levels throughout the North Sea Region.

The framework focused on three key areas of activity: (1) business and product development, (2) waterway regeneration, (3) sustainable management of the waterway resource, in terms of the natural environment, sustainable transport and built heritage. The development of the framework was supported by means of a series of practical measures and pilot actions to further the economic and sustainable development. Evaluation of the pilot actions contributed to development of the framework and led to further practical actions for taking the sustainable development of inland waterways forward and suggesting priorities for future funding and investment in the sector.

Background
There is growing interest in revitalising inland waterways as a catalyst for economic and social development and area-based regeneration. Waterways support economic growth in two ways: through businesses activity (including recreation, tourism and transport) and through providing attractive places close to where people live and work, linking towns and cities with their surrounding countryside.

• A framework for the sustainable development of inland waterways
• New and expanded businesses based on waterways
• A common approach to regenerate historic waterways
• Extension of the network of recreational waterways
• New approaches to further develop the sustainable development of waterways.