dgadee
Well-Known Member
Lovely little harbour.
Charlestown harbour on the Forth to be cleared on June 22nd
- Thread starter penfold
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penfold
Well-Known Member
Shame it's used as an unlicenced landfill though.
Bilgediver
Well-Known Member
The big Colvic that was in top right corner and has been getting fitted out since the nineties has gone and the big ex fishing boat top left corner has also gone, along the the Bruce Roberts which was where the yacht is now in the foreground
wallacebob
Well-Known Member
Only a few boats have departed, fishing boat is due out soon., heading South. 
But the rest look doomed, I’d still buy the LM24, but then I’m very optimistic.
But the rest look doomed, I’d still buy the LM24, but then I’m very optimistic.
Mileholm
Well-Known Member
What is the state of Charlestown now? And who owns it?
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
Broomhall Estate (2500 acres) is the owner of the private harbour, and they are the descendants of Robert The Bruce. Currently the Earl of Elgin is the head honcho.
Broomhall House - Welcome to the Home of the Family of Bruce
As of Q1 in 2025 some of the boats are still there (if an image on FB is from then) and Google Maps, Street view image from 2023 also shows the boats there.
This is from a Facebook Post around January, February this year. It suggests that little has happened.
A comment on YouTube from 5 days ago, suggests that the remaining boats will be removed and sold or scrapped.
Mileholm
Well-Known Member
Thanks - you know your stuff!
Does anyone know if it would be uneconomical to dredge the basin? Surely it could take 100+ boats on pontoons and become an alternative to Port Edgar if the owners wanted to invest.
dgadee
Well-Known Member
The harbour is listed so probably not much chance of it becoming a marina:
Charlestown Harbour, East Harbour Road, Charlestown | Buildings at Risk Register
Charlestown Harbour, East Harbour Road, Charlestown | Buildings at Risk Register
ducked
Well-Known Member
How it looked October last year.
I'll have another look when I get back to The Yook, but whatever happens, its likely to be depressing.
I dunno that being a marina per se would be incompatible with a listed status. The more likely obstacle to such a development would be probably limited local demand (I understand the boats mooring there werent paying anything) and the owners preference for more lucrative/less appropriate property development.
The cooling water spillway at the nearby Longannet power station, which was the last coal-fired station in Scotland, now decommisioned, would also seem to me to have marina potential if there was sufficient local demand, but there probably isn't.
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jamie N
Well-Known Member
I'd guess that the "radioactive" rumour comes about due to being so close to Rosyth, where their near neighbours have shown a similar concern to redundant nuclear submarines, as the owners of the abandoned boats in Charlestown.
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RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
Dalgety Bay was, is contaminated with radioactivity. It’s from WW2 planes that were burnt and dumped in the area as landfill. The radiation comes from the luminous paint on instruments. That might be the reason why folks think Charlestown might be radioactive.
dgadee
Well-Known Member
Working with listed items adds extra expense and constraints. In Granton the old pier wooden structure is falling down (and dangerous) but can't be removed. There is steel work which was intended to replace some of it lying there but permission to install was refused.
But sometimes they don't care. In NI they never gave a toss. My Victorian terraced house was listed but the neighbours all put in plastic windows.
But sometimes they don't care. In NI they never gave a toss. My Victorian terraced house was listed but the neighbours all put in plastic windows.
ducked
Well-Known Member
Didnt know that.
Clearer in the original context, but the "radioactive" story referred to Boness harbour, which is physically closed. and a fair way from Dalgety Bay and Rosyth. I suppose the stuff could be moved there on a flood tide, but there's no obvious reason for it to concentrate there. and I THINK the closure (to shipping. I dunno when it was physically closed) in 1959 probably predates any ageing nuclear submarine issues.
Its quite close to Grangemouth oil refinery, that had a go at swamping my dingy with-sort-of-clandestine waste pumping iin the early 80's, and it used to have quite a big burning bing near it, which might have provided some dioxin.
I remember passing a shipbreakers on the foreshore in my dinghy heading up the Forth, and sailng past the hulk of what appeared to be an old teak-hulled light cruiser, with big bronze bolts sticking out of it. In the 50's/60s there was something similar doing cadet/sea scout duty in Granton Harbour (the bit thats now flats) so it could have been that.
I'm told this yard rivalled Inverkeithing for activity, in which case it would provide many contamination sources, including asbestos, if not radionuclides.
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Ian_Edwards
Well-Known Member
Making a set of enormous assumptions, the biggest problem in bring Charlestown Harbour back to life would be SEPA.
Where would you be allowed to dump all that potentially contaminated mud?
I know of several projects, where the mud had to go to landfill. The cost and environmental impact of all that trucking and dumping is high and effectively made the project a non starter.
It looks like an idea spot for people who want to potter about and day sail in a relatively small boat.
Don't underestimate the demand for small boat ownership, if the owners have local access to low cost berthing and a well run DIY yard.
Where would you be allowed to dump all that potentially contaminated mud?
I know of several projects, where the mud had to go to landfill. The cost and environmental impact of all that trucking and dumping is high and effectively made the project a non starter.
It looks like an idea spot for people who want to potter about and day sail in a relatively small boat.
Don't underestimate the demand for small boat ownership, if the owners have local access to low cost berthing and a well run DIY yard.
Mileholm
Well-Known Member
It seems such a waste (pun intended) that such a lovely piece of built heritage is decaying and unused like that. It could play host to a wonderful boating community and leisure facilities (thinking a water front restaurant/pub/event facility). It could be developed sympathetically/in-keeping with the listed origins (or whatever the planners call it).
ylop
Well-Known Member
That requires a more sensitive design, but doesn’t necessarily rule it out. I think the views of local people might have more impact - if they like their sleepy village with run down harbour aesthetic they probably don’t want to see artists impressions that look like Port Edgar.
Longannet is an interesting idea - but it’s a bit remote from shore “stuff” so would need quite an investment to turn it into a “destination” rather than boat parking (think Portavadie 2000 v 2020).
I think Radioactivity in Bo’ness is just more rumour and misremembering going on. The outer harbour is still “open” (I know someone who sailed there last season). The inner harbour has been suggested for gentrification with a small marina etc for the last 30 yrs. I don’t think they’ve ever found a developer willing to invest the money for flats and a marina when you can build 4/5 bed stuff nearby and make far more money. It silts up so would need ongoing dredging too. There was ship dismantling - but not in the harbour. The silt will be contaminated - just not with radioactive isotopes! There is perhaps an urban regeneration opportunity for the whole of the upper forth as Grangemouth declines. Not clear who has the money or motivation for such a long term initiative though.
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
There are lots of small boat moorings in quite exposed positions along the north bank of the Firth of Forth and upstream of the 3 bridges, as well as south, and more importantly near Charlestown. There may very well be a demand for an enclosed harbour, marina if such a facility could be developed. However, as others have suggested the cost is not likely to be supportive for a development. In my opinion, it’s the sort of development, that would benefit from government support, and other sources of funds, to a sailing community. Technically, if the community got their act together, they could force a community buy out, transfer of ownership from the current owner, even if they are not selling. I understand that legislation exists to allow the forced sale, transfer, in limited circumstances, one of which is abandoned, derelict land. However, if the owner wanted to sell, then the more likely option, under the legislation, is a right of first refusal to the community. Land Reform Scotland Act is the relative instrument that allows this.
dgadee
Well-Known Member
You would be taking on quite a lot of potential liability if you bought it. Aren't Fifers supposed to be quite tight?
wallacebob
Well-Known Member
I spoke with the estate factors, based in Aberdeen, about identity of boat owners. They told me no plans were afoot, they simply wanted to stop further abandonment. SEPA were involved due to local people complaining of oil leaks from sunk/sinking boats. A chain was to be installed to prevent access into the main harbour. As to removing boats and developing the site: it’s a huge expensive can of worms that the estate don’t want to open. It is a fascinating harbour , with a long history. The curved walls to enable close drying of ships next to the railway is of interest. Supposedly a slab base to help cleaning of mud. The mud and surrounding land is contaminated from ship/sub breaking.
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
Very much so, to both points, but it’s a potential option. If the land to the east comes with the harbour, then it’s very likely a housing development.
