Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report :

1) Summary of Decision Area:

1.1 The Harbour Authority is required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the harbour is as safe as possible for all who use it. This report provides the details of two projects that will improve navigational safety within the main channels in the harbour.

2) Recommendations:

2.1 That the River Hamble Harbour Board grant consent for the following funds to be allocated:

a. £16,500 from the revenue reserve fund to enable the replacement of Crableck and Swanwick Beacons. Each wooden beacon to be replaced with metal piles, each with navigation light, starboard hand marks and a tidal gauge.

b. £2,500 to realign the remaining three mooring sites and to purchase redundant tackle from the six displaced moorings. All mooring chain and tackle recovered will later be sold as scrap by the Harbour Authority.

3) Introduction:

3.1 Swanwick Bend: The available navigable water on the bend in the main channel at Swanwick has steadily been reduced over the years as more swinging moorings have been established. Most of the swinging moorings are located in the deepest water which is in the centre of the main channel. These arrangements allow little room for traffic wishing to safely transit the area. The slow silting of the western side of the channel has also reduced the available navigable water and forced the Harbour Authority to move the port hand marker beacon further into the main channel five years ago. The situation becomes increasingly dangerous during the hours of darkness. The scheme will reduce the moorings on the bend with the aim of making the main channel easier and safer to identify and use. To further improve navigational safety the Swanwick starboard hand beacon may need to be moved and a light could be added to the beacon forming a gateway with the port beacon. This is cannot be done until the moorings in the main channel have been removed.

3.2 Policy 3 of the Estuary Management Plan states:

a. The River Hamble Harbour Authority, to maintain navigable depth by moving moorings and navigational marks in order to realign river layout to minimise requirement of dredging.

3.3 The scheme will be completed by 1 April 2009. Attached at Annex A is a chart showing the current plan and Annex B shows the completed works.

3.4 Crableck Bend: Withdrawing the Crableck Beacon and driving a new pile approximately 12 metres north west of the original location will ensure the main channel becomes easier to identify. The new location of the beacon will also protect the moorings that sit on the bend, making it safer for traffic transiting the area.

4) Swanwick Bend:

4.1 The following moorings are required to be removed from Swanwick bend:

a. Crown Estate Moorings: HD16, 18 and 70

b. Premier Marina Moorings: HD56, 58 and 60

4.2 The following moorings have already been withdrawn from the bend:

a. Crown Estate Moorings: HD 34 and 68

b. Deacons Boatyard: HD49 and HD49a

4.3 The Crown Estate moorings HD10, 12, and 14 will remain but will require realignment.

4.4 The cost of the work required will fall to the Harbour Authority and to ensure that the mooring holders affected are not disadvantaged, the following arrangements are proposed.

a. It is recommended that the Harbour Authority purchases the redundant tackle (at £350 per mooring) from the three mooring holders who will be displaced from their mooring sites HD16,18 and 70 and that a further £1,050 be paid to Premier Marinas for the redundant tackle belonging to the three moorings HD56, 58 and 60. Any tackle recovered will then be the property of the Harbour Authority and can sold for scrap.

b. The Harbour Authority will relay the mooring ground tackle for moorings HD 10, 12 and 14 at an approximate total cost of £400.

c. The Crown Estate have agreed that those displaced from the three moorings will be offered a pile mooring at the same price as a swinging mooring for the first 12 months. Thereafter, they will receive a 50% discount on the difference for the second year and pay the full cost of any enhancement in mooring type in the third year. A high priority will be given to finding alternative buoy moorings for these boats as soon as possible and it is anticipated that the three affected boats will be offered alternative buoy moorings at similar cost to their present moorings within 12 months.

d. The total approximate cost of the operation will be in the region of £2,500, less the scrap value of the sinkers and mooring chain recovered.

5) Pile Replacement Crableck and Swanwick Road:

5.1. The cost of withdrawing and replacing the two piles at Crableck and Swanwick Bend, attaching a light and starboard hand topmarks along with fittings for tidal gauges will be in the region of £16,500. This work will be completed by 1 April 2009. Attached at Annex C is a chart showing the location and the intended location of the pile at Crableck Bend.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Impact Assessment:

An Equalities Impact Assessment covering the Harbour Authority's responsibilities under the Port Marine Safety Code has been conducted and the content of this report does not alter this assessment.