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Sowerby Bridge Wharf Restoration
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The Sowerby Bridge Wharf area is being transformed, thanks to an exciting "Regeneration Through Heritage" initiative being managed by British Waterways on behalf of the Sowerby Bridge Partnership.
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This will see the restoration of the Salt Warehouse and the No. 4 Warehouse and incorporate a Visitor Centre and accommodation for small businesses. The Sowerby Bridge Wharf area is around the basin at the head of the Calder and Hebble Navigation and is bounded on the south by the Rochdale Canal. The No. 2 Warehouse was restored previously and houses "The Moorings" pub and other businesses. The Salt Warehouse, used for storing salt that had arrived by boat from Cheshire, and the No. 4 Warehouse were both built with a canal arm leading inside, forming an interior dock, so that goods could be loaded and unloaded under cover to prevent them getting wet. |
 The sculpture by Roger Burnett at the entrance to Sowerby Bridge Wharf, with the No.2 Warehouse behind. |
 The Salt Warehouse, seen from the Rochdale Canal, before restoration began. |
Following consultations with Calderdale Council and the Sowerby Bridge Community Forum, which represented local people, it was decided that the warehouses should not be converted for residential use as this would take a valuable resource away from boaters and local people and would not have helped the local economic environment. The Salt Warehouse is to house the new Visitor Centre, with a restaurant on the first floor and offices on the upper floors. Part of the No. 4 Warehouse has been used by local boat hire company, Shire Cruisers, as a workshop. Shire Cruisers will continue to use the ground floor after restoration, with small "artisan" workshop units on the other floors. |
A display showing an artist's interpretation of how the area will look can be seen in Sowerby Bridge Library. These illustrations can also be seen on the next web page.
British Waterways have produced questionnaires for local people and visitors to use to make comments and suggestions regarding the scheme. These are available at Sowerby Bridge Library and Post Office and at Shire Cruisers' office.