Contact: Tony Clatworthy, tel 01489 576387

email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The River Hamble Harbour Management Committee may wish to consider this report, to be submitted to the River Hamble Harbour Board, which details the application for Harbour Works Consent to modify a pontoon as part of a proposed dry stack and launching facility at Hamble Point Marina. The proposed modification requires Harbour Authority Works Consent.

2. Reason

2.1 A decision on this matter is a statutory obligation of the Harbour Authority.

3. Proposals

3.1 Marina Developments Limited wants to apply for Harbour Authority Works Consent to alter the current pontooning adjacent to the launching dock in Hamble Port Marina. The proposed alterations are detailed in the plans entitled - 198 04 - Dry Stack Storage, Scheme Proposals, Pontoon Details July 2006/Scale 1: 200 @ A3, which can be viewed at the Harbour Office.

3.2 The alterations to the pontooning support a further proposal to provide a steel-framed racking behind Saltmaker's House at Hamble Point.

3.3 Minor alterations to the pontoon to create a holding bay are the works requiring Harbour Authority Works Consent to be completed.

3.4 Works to the Harbour Wall not requiring Harbour Authority Works Consent to be completed are:

(i) one steel `I' beam to be welded to the face of the existing quay wall as shown on Drawing SCO2-001;

(ii) a steel angle iron to be positioned to the underside of the capping beam, at the top of the sheet piles, to provide structural support; and

(iii) an angle iron to be bolted to the quay wall edge to prevent over-run of the forklift.

3.5 Works within Hamble Point not requiring Harbour Authority Works Consent to be completed are a steel-framed racking structure located behind Saltmaker's House at Hamble Point Marina to accommodate a range of craft 7 to 10 metres in length. The proposed total number of boats housed will be 116.

4. Designated Sites and the Harbour Authority's Responsibilities

4.1 The River Hamble Harbour Authority is a Relevant Authority under The Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c) Regulations 1994, commonly known as the Habitats Regulations. As a Relevant Authority the Harbour Authority has a duty to secure compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Regulations and to ensure that in the exercise of any of its powers or functions it will have regard to both direct and indirect effects on the interest features of the European Marine Site.

4.2 The River Hamble is part of the Solent European Marine Site and is afforded protection due to its international nature conservation value. The majority of the Hamble Estuary East and West banks fall within the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area and Ramsar site. The whole river is within the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation.

4.3 As a Section 28G Authority under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000), the River Hamble Harbour Authority has a duty to take reasonable steps, consistent with the proper exercise of the Authority's functions, to further the conservation and enhancement of the flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features by reason of which the site is of special scientific interest.

4.4 Consent may be granted by the River Hamble Harbour Board permitting harbour works in the navigation of the River Hamble to accord with Section 10 of the Southampton Harbour Act 1924 and Section 48 of the Southampton Harbour Act 1949, as amended by the River Hamble Harbour Revision Orders 1969 to 1989. Within the River Hamble Harbour Board's statutory duties lies the responsibility to ensure that all matters concerning navigational safety and responsibilities under the Habitat Regulations are addressed. This area of responsibility includes the proposed development at Hamble Point Marina.

5. Harbour Master's Comments

5.1 The issues to be considered by the Harbour Board concern conditional consent for harbour works below mean high water. The works requiring Harbour Authority consent within this application are therefore alterations to the pontooning system. The issues concerning the installation of the dry stack system are outside the remit of the Harbour Board. The Harbour Board may make comments to the Borough Council regarding the proposed development as required.

5.2 The dry stack system, to be installed on the hardstanding at Hamble Point, may increase the volume of small craft traffic below 10 metres LOA entering and departing from Hamble Point Marina. For that reason the following information is included:

(i) A number of similar craft already use the route and it has been estimated that on a busy day 30 boats of 10 metres or less may be expected to use the dry stack system. It is worth noting there may be a concomitant reduction in this type of craft launching from the slipway at Hamble Point Marina.

(ii) Assuming that such movements will be spread across the whole day, they are unlikely to have a significant effect on the volume of traffic in the area at any one time.

(iii) MDL has robust procedures for the launching and recovery of high volumes of vessels through experience gained from operations of a similar facility at Cobb's Quay, Poole.

5.3 An increase in vessel traffic on the scale anticipated as a result of the proposed facility would not adversely affect navigational safety.

6. Impact Assessments

6.1 This decision will have no impact on the services and facilities provided by the Harbour Authority and has not been subjected to an Equalities Impact Assessment.

Recommendation

That the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee considers and advises the River Hamble Harbour Board on the following recommendation:

That the River Hamble Harbour Board grants Conditional Consent for the Harbour Works, allowing Marina Developments Limited to proceed with the proposed plans to remove and modify the pontooning system at Hamble Point Marina referred to in the plans - 198 04 - Dry Stack Storage, Scheme Proposals, Pontoon Details July 2006/Scale 1: 200 @ A3: drawing SOL-1973-SC02-001 dated 17 August 2006 entitled Hamble Point, with the following conditions:

(i) all vessels launched through the dry stack facility to display a Harbour Dues Sticker;

(ii) no double berthing to take place in the marina in connection with dry stack launchings; and

(iii) no increase in the number of moored vessels within the Marina.

1091/TC