Chatham docks are to close in 2025.

Like anywhere now.... forget longterm revenue, build and sell some flats, make a quick buck then move on.

Done quite a bit of work at the historic dockyard in the last 18 months. Very nice but step back a bit and things start to get a bit grotty. Could have potential though but too useful as a commercial yard.
 
Reminiscent of Cell Block H in Brightlingsea...
With the development of the wind farm and the need for boats to service them, there is now a need for facilities like James and Sons ...

The problem is caused by the so called planning system that doesn’t do any planning but instead only does process.
 
Thamesport has the strategic disadvantage of being on the South of the Thames. Access to London is awful via the A2/20. Access to the north is compromised by the Dartford crossings and in direct competition with Felixstowe.Whereas the new London Gateway has the A13 all the way into the City.
 
No viable commercial future.Its all down to bulk and boxes. Simply to much fuss and expense to get in and out of the lock and what about the locals whinging about the noise and smells at one time.(not from the new housing but the older stock to the south.
Scotline now the only viable maritime operator on the Medway. GPS moved elsewhere outside long ago.
Folks are going to have to come to terms with the fact that industry will not be the investor which will use this space in the future.

Recently planning permission was requested to develop a small wharf in Upnor for housing, locals were up in arms and objections raised en mass with the council. Local boat club MYC joining in the protestations.

About a week later the same folks living across the way from the yard were complaining about the noise from the boatyard, somebody made an early start, cleaning a steel boat hull with a air hammer.

Make your mind up objectors.You either want the boatyard or you do not. :)
 
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Cantata said:
I would guess its business has gone to the new London Gateway port which always seems busy when I've been past there.
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“Technically”, Thamesport was operated in recent years by Hutchison Ports UK for Evergreen, using a fully automatic system which wasn’t very flexible. Evergreen moved to bigger ships which now call at Felixstowe. HPUK made valiant efforts to find other business in general cargo, steels, etc for Thamesport but they haven’t had much success. It’s obviously much easier to access by water than Chatham and has better road and rail access.
 
Kukri said:
“Technically”, Thamesport was operated in recent years by Hutchison Ports UK for Evergreen, using a fully automatic system which wasn’t very flexible. Evergreen moved to bigger ships which now call at Felixstowe. HPUK made valiant efforts to find other business in general cargo, steels, etc for Thamesport but they haven’t had much success. It’s obviously much easier to access by water than Chatham and has better road and rail access.
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Inn ye olde days, a small tug with a 300hp engine would take 6 x 200 tonne lighters from Rochester to Snodland or New Hythe and not a single resident of Cuxton- Halling or Snodland would be aware of the fact.
In the early 1980s somebody political decided that 25 noisy filthy lorries driving right past the front doors of people living on the A228 was a far better way of getting the job done.
You can come to your own conclusions about wether the pollution and road traffic accidents was a price worth paying to buy the RHA vote. :)
 
oldgit said:
Recently planning permission was requested to develop a small wharf in Upnor for housing, locals were up in arms and objections raised en mass with the council. Local boat club MYC joining in the protestations.

About a week later the same folks living across the way from the yard were complaining about the noise from the boatyard, somebody made an early start, cleaning a steel boat hull with a air hammer.

Make your mind up objectors.You either want the boatyard or you do not. :)
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Always had the same trouble in Eastbourne with complaints about our engine room fans running for 30 minutes after we shut down the engines.

W.
 
PilotWolf said:
Always had the same trouble in Eastbourne with complaints about our engine room fans running for 30 minutes after we shut down the engines.

W.
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We also have a small airport at Rochester, it has been in existence for not that far short of a century..
every so often people living nearbye start to complain about the noise !
 
RivalRedwing said:
Especially when the council throw £4 million at a new concrete runway for the local biggles brigade
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H,mm.
The 4 M was to develop the entire site.Replacing some buildings which date back 50 years or more and several porta cabins.
One of the buildings is the old clubhouse which from memory is one of those old corrugated tin nissan hut style sheds pressed into service.
25 objections in a town of 250.000.
The proposed plan to build a concrete runway to compensate for the loss of one of the grass runways was dumped ages ago.
About 50% of original site has already been developed for commercial and industrial use.
The site is surrounded by housing on two sides with considerable amounts of new homes been build recently to the east.
Most folks regard the airport as an asset.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/airport-expansion-plans-approved-195756/

 
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oldgit said:
Recently planning permission was requested to develop a small wharf in Upnor for housing, locals were up in arms and objections raised en mass with the council. ....

Local boat club MYC joining in the protestations....
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I'm on (at least for the next few weeks...) the MYC management committee and for my sins I also organise cruiser events so know what's going on at the club. I'd be amazed if MYC has put in an objection to the development at Patman's Yard and I hadn't heard about it.

More likely one of the Upnor residents who are also club members doesn't want the additional housing on their doorstep and made their views known.

Personally I'd be inclined to agree with them, we do seem to be concreting over large parts of Medway at the moment.
 
xyachtdave said:
I'm on (at least for the next few weeks...) the MYC management committee and for my sins I also organise cruiser events so know what's going on at the club. I'd be amazed if MYC has put in an objection to the development at Patman's Yard and I hadn't heard about it.

More likely one of the Upnor residents who are also club members doesn't want the additional housing on their doorstep and made their views known.

Personally I'd be inclined to agree with them, we do seem to be concreting over large parts of Medway at the moment.
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On investigation it may have been Upnor YC. who have their clubhouse opposite the yard.
The list of objecters is available online, curiously includes GPS who have offices next door.
You have my deepest sympathies regards your committee obligations :):):).
 
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The dock basin would make a good marina! MDL Chatham is too crowded these days and the lock is too small - keep the Chatham Docks lock which can take moderate size cargo ships and you could get a lot of yachts through in one cycle!
 
I certainly think the commercial basin would certainly make a massive marina even though Chatham Maritime Marina is not full.

Back in the late 1960's I remember having about 30 yachts in one of the two locks for a weekend. They were all race boats getting the inclination test done for the new International Offshore Rating to replace the old RORC ratings. For regular usage with pleasure boats they would drain the basin more than currently, so I expect they will reduce one of them to a smaller size.
 
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