Holyhead Consultation

[Graham376]

Proposed new development plans here, including new marina with breakwater - Documents and Downloads – Holyhead Waterfront (consultationonline.co.uk)

 

[Concerto]

It seems as if the marina is being moved east wards. A solid breakwater on two sides and floating breakwater on the third side. Knowing the previous floating break water did not survive the elements before, surely this should be solid as well. Yes, it will cost more, but should stop any repeat of the destruction.
Best plan is here. https://holyheadwaterfront.consulta...0/12/Public-Consultation-Boards-ENGLISH-3.pdf

This interests me as in a few year I am planning to move to Cheshire and will be looking at North Wales for berthing.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

It seems as if the marina is being moved east wards. A solid breakwater on two sides and floating breakwater on the third side. Knowing the previous floating break water did not survive the elements before, surely this should be solid as well. Yes, it will cost more, but should stop any repeat of the destruction.
Best plan is here. https://holyheadwaterfront.consulta...0/12/Public-Consultation-Boards-ENGLISH-3.pdf

I think a floating breakwater with that small fetch will be fine. They can cope with a few hundred metres - it's 3 miles as previously that they are less good at. There are many examples of short fetch floating breakwaters doing the job, i.e. Ardfern, Campbeltown, Holy Loch.

This interests me as in a few year I am planning to move to Cheshire and will be looking at North Wales for berthing.

Whilst not being the prettiest town it's one of the few places on the UK mainland* where you can sail North, East, South or West. Campbeltown (with a short bit of South to go West) is another.

*Ok, not really mainland, but you can drive there.

 

[Graham376]

It's a long while since we've been in there but, from memory, it appears the proposed marina may be where the club moorings are now so, what will happen to those?

 

[Laysula]

Well it all looks very fine, how much will it cost? Looking back at the old Marina although it was a bit downbeat and exposed it never got filled and was just over half the price I pay in Devon. The fancy blocks of flats were never all sold. The port town of Holyhead is a bit of a dump and very run down. It's not an attraction to visitors. Coupled with low wages and high unemployment, who is going to buy those fancy flats and houses? Having said that. it's a great place to sail from as Angus Mc Doon said.
In my opinion it won't get built in our lifetime as I think that the locals will launch appeal after appeal against it as they wern't in favour of it when we were berthed there.
This is just my opinion as I think it would be great for the town if it does go ahead, I just don't think it is financially viable.

 

[RivalRedwing]

It's a long while since we've been in there but, from memory, it appears the proposed marina may be where the club moorings are now so, what will happen to those?

looks like they would be amended away as a minor inconvenience along the path of progress and profit

 

[TSB240]

The elephant in the room is the rapid erosion of the original breakwater. It has had minimal investment and maintenance and needs millions spent on it to avoid the inevitable breach in a decent South Westerly.

I doubt any new marina will get any insurance cover until this has been done and will probably be a conditional improvement required by any investors in the new marina.

The drop in European freight traffic to Ireland and increase with direct trips from EU Mainland on larger ferries will not have helped the financial position of the port owners to raise the repair budget to meet this need.

Today's complete blockage of the A55 will have really messed up those JIT deliveries which will all be TFL now!

I am not persuaded to relocate to a new Marina in Holyhead nor by the choice of eating and drinking establishments in a run down town.

It may provide an attractive bolt hole for some but under normal circumstances daylight only Irish Sea cruisers tend to use the more sheltered Eire East coast.
Last year was an exception with much more through traffic by visitors to Caernarfon, Y Felinheli, Menai Bridge and Conwy caused by closure of Eire and IOM to visitors.

Another marina might help keep prices down as demand and occupancy is pretty high for Berths and Moorings in this area!

 

[Skylark]

I’m willing and would be very happy to return to Holyhead. Sailing options are good and many. However, as already commented above, I don’t see this happening in my lifetime.

There are few other, viable, marinas in north Wales, based upon my recent experience. Currently, berthing availability in the area is not good.

Also, Friday and Sunday evening A55 road congestion is the stuff of nightmares but, thankfully, is not applicable to retired gentleman of leisure.

I hope it goes ahead.

 

[ridgy]

Hopefully the sailing club moorings will swap places with the marina and go on the other side. This would be an improvement...the closest I have come to being seasick was tied up on my HSC mooring in a stiff NE.

 

[Skylark]

…..the closest I have come to being seasick was tied up on my HSC mooring in a stiff NE.

There’s a regular poster on here, a real folklore hero (not forgetting his wife, too), once trapped on his boat overnight in a big easterly blow. The club water taxi was unable to pick them up in the conditions as it was deemed too dangerous.There was much chatter and concern for their welfare while club members enjoyed their evening meals in the bar. By morning, many assumed that a horrid scene awaited but our heroes emerged and stoically announced “don’t know what the fuss was all about”

Some people are made of sterner stuff than am I ???

 

[savageseadog]

The elephant in the room is the rapid erosion of the original breakwater. It has had minimal investment and maintenance and needs millions spent on it to avoid the inevitable breach in a decent South Westerly.

I doubt any new marina will get any insurance cover until this has been done and will probably be a conditional improvement required by any investors in the new marina.

The drop in European freight traffic to Ireland and increase with direct trips from EU Mainland on larger ferries will not have helped the financial position of the port owners to raise the repair budget to meet this need.

Today's complete blockage of the A55 will have really messed up those JIT deliveries which will all be TFL now!

I am not persuaded to relocate to a new Marina in Holyhead nor by the choice of eating and drinking establishments in a run down town.

It may provide an attractive bolt hole for some but under normal circumstances daylight only Irish Sea cruisers tend to use the more sheltered Eire East coast.
Last year was an exception with much more through traffic by visitors to Caernarfon, Y Felinheli, Menai Bridge and Conwy caused by closure of Eire and IOM to visitors.

Another marina might help keep prices down as demand and occupancy is pretty high for Berths and Moorings in this area!

I was going to point out the issues with the breakwater, I had a good look at it a while ago. A few more big storms or one really big one it could be a gonner.

 

[Halo]

I hope they build it. I really enjoyed my summer based in the old marina and it is a great base for Ireland, IOM, and round Anglesey.

 

[TSB240]

Welsh ports had 30% less traffic due to Brexit - shipping chief

Stenna are in big trouble. Fishguard was proving uneconomic prior to recent events and Stenna was desperate to pull out. I suspect losing an additional 30% of revenue from Holyhead will be the nail in the coffin for both Welsh ports.

There has been a slight improvement in the northern crossing Stranraer/Belfast business.

I suspect there will need to be significant government support and major investment in road infrastructure on the A55 to persuade European traffic to use UK landbridge again. Too little TFL!

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I was told that prior to Brexit, Irish lorries were using British roads to access Europe and paid nothing in road tax or purchasing fuel in the UK.

Can anyone confirm this ?

Are they now sailing direct to Europe and missing out the UK entirely ?

If so, other ferries may have picked up extra business.

 

[savageseadog]

I was told that prior to Brexit, Irish lorries were using British roads to access Europe and paid nothing in road tax or purchasing fuel in the UK.

Can anyone confirm this ?

Are they now sailing direct to Europe and missing out the UK entirely ?

If so, other ferries may have picked up extra business.

Yes. Irish lorries are/were indeed using our roads for free and using cheaper continental fuel. Many Irish lorries also appear to have improperly governed lorries which are driven at significantly higher, Illegal speeds.
In case anyone thinks I'm making this up. Irish Times article:

Speeding trucks on the rise

 

[Graham376]

Yes. Irish lorries are/were indeed using our roads for free and using cheaper continental fuel. Many Irish lorries also appear to have improperly governed lorries which are driven at significantly higher, Illegal speeds.
In case anyone thinks I'm making this up. Irish Times article:
Speeding trucks on the rise

When home, we live alongside the A55 and see fewer HGVs now compared to a couple of years ago. Noticeable that Irish trucks often faster than UK governed speed.

 

[TSB240]

Are they now sailing direct to Europe and missing out the UK entirely ?

If so, other ferries may have picked up extra business.

In the link above direct routes from Europe to Eire now 44 instead of 12.....

I know Rosslare is now receiving far more direct European traffic and the planned new big ships for Holyhead have now been employed on these and other routes.

Stranraer schedules have increased frequencies of ferries in last 12 months. I suspect Liverpool operations have increased.

 

[penfold]

The extra shipping costs have magically disappeared then? Not to mention the difficulty and cost of increasing capacity. Unless someone's subbing the shipping cos and the EU are looking the other way, that would never happen.