IWA Branches play a vital role in preventing historic buildings and waterway heritage features being lost forever by monitoring, campaigning locally about heritage issues and ensuring branch planning officers are consulted on any waterway-related developments.

Many of IWA’s Branches now have a volunteer or a team of volunteers responsible for keeping an eye on local waterway heritage issues.

• Monitor issues that could potentially affect waterways heritage. These may include new developments or council/navigation authority maintenance works. 
• Keep track of which local buildings and waterside areas are listed or covered by Conservations Areas, noting changes (and gaps if this has not already been  done).
• Work with the Branch Planning Officer to monitor websites of Councils in the area to check for planning applications being submitted that may impact on the heritage of local waterways.
• Respond to any consultations that could involve or directly impact heritage on their local waterways.  

A full role description can be viewed below. 

Support and Advice: 

IWA’s Heritage Advisory Panel can provide branches with advice and guidance on heritage matters. For more information about how to contact the Heritage Advisory Panel, resources and guidance please visit the Heritage Toolkit in the Restoration Hub.

This text can be used as an advertisement by a branch and can be edited according to the branch needs
The branch Heritage Officer keeps an eye on local waterways heritage issues and monitors which waterways and buildings are protected by Listing or Conservation Areas. The Heritage officer also monitors maintenance works where waterways heritage could be at risk. This may involve visiting waterways sites when necessary and communication with relevant local navigation authority and council personnel as well as co-ordinating site monitoring with more local members rather than travelling themselves.

The person in the position should work with the Planning Officer (if there is one) to monitor planning authority websites, and helps submit responses of support or objection on planning applications that may impact on the heritage of local waterways, when appropriate to do so within IWA’s aims and policies.

An interest in waterways heritage is essential. Knowledge of planning issues is useful but not essential and the branch committee will offer advice as to what response should be submitted in specific situations.

Listings, Conservations area maps and Planning applications can be monitored on council and Historic England websites, and responses can also be submitted on line, so access to a computer and the internet would be ideal.  Any responses can be based on comments from the whole committee and co-ordinated by the Heritage Officer or Planning Officer as appropriate.

An ability to travel to waterways site where necessary would be useful, but depending on the location this need not be by car. They may also co-ordinate site monitoring with more local members rather than travel themselves. Travel expenses may be available at the Branch’s discretion.

The local authorities in this Branch area include:  x District Council, x City x Council etc. Basically, the job is what the volunteer wants to make of it. And there is the opportunity to define the geographical area you want to cover.

This Branch meets monthly, currently at online/x venue.  Meetings currently take place on x, starting at x.