SALT AND WAREHOUSE NO.4, SOWERBY BRIDGE WHARF, WEST YORKSHIRE

The Grade II and Grade II* listed Canal Warehouses are part of the Wharf at Sowerby Bridge which grew in the 18th and early 19th centuries as a trans-shipment point at the junction of the Rochdale Canal and the Calder and Hebble Navigation.

With the closure of the Canal, the stone buildings fell into neglect or under use. The Sea Scouts and local business people combined their efforts to save and bring a number of buildings back into use. It was, however, accepted that a strategy was needed for the Wharf which would secure a bright future for the largely vacant Salt and Number 4 warehouses, which lie at its heart.

The Prince's Regeneration Trust created a partnership and established a strategy that was based on retaining existing businesses and showcasing the water-based recreation in order to attract new business.

A £2.1m investment scheme was completed to conserve and regenerate the two warehouses in December 2003, resulting in a further £1.2m secured elsewhere on site as a consequence of the catalytic effect of the regeneration projects. The new uses consisted of 18, 3000 square foot craft workshops, industrial space, offices, a café and a heritage information area. These new uses provide 70 jobs to the local community.

The regeneration project won the 2005 Waterways Trust and British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) Historic Environment Award. This was largely due to the end to end approach taken. The warehouses were conserved and regenerated in a way that largely retained their character, while incorporating the advancements and resulting benefits of modern design.