Chichester Harbour Conservatory

[Cpt Splendid]

I am new here, but I wanted to post a question about the Harbour Conservatory.

I understand they are entitled to charge harbour dues and I welcome contributing.

However, last year the harbour could not be used, and many owners did not go out on their boats. Boats based in the various marinas whilst remaining in the marinas make use of none of the failities.

I realise also the Authority has various fixed costs whether people are using their boats or not.

It also seems to me there will have been savings made last year, or should have been.

I see from their accounts that they seem to be accumulating funds hand over fist. Why they need multi million pound reserves I wonder.

So, in all this I would have thought they would have shared with us all in the pain of Covid and volunteered to reduce the fees for the current year in recognition of those paid last year.

Am I being unreasonable?

 

[penberth3]

.......Am I being unreasonable?

Yes.

 

[RJJ]

Yes.

No.

If what you say is true about accumulating reserves, then the question may be addressed to them...why? It may be that they have periodic major infrastructure costs you're not aware of...perhaps 2023 is the year they have all the buoys hauled out for a five-year inspection. Or something.

But I think it's reasonable to ask; why not ask them?

If they are pointlessly stashing loads of money then I agree it would be appropriate to return it to berthholders and other fee payers.

 

[SailingDog]

Yes.

What makes you think the Op is being unreasonable ?

I don't know if the quoted millions in reserves is correct, why they are needed is a valid question.

 

[Mark-1]

I tend to think the Conservancy are the good guys and can be trusted.

Certainly, I wouldn't want them to hand back any portion of Harbour Dues because of a once in 100 year event. Not least because they'll be needing to spend big £££ on keeping the East Head hinge intact and battling development or there won't be a harbour as we know it.

These organizations do need to be watched though, so your question is a good one.

(All IMHO.)

 

[northwind]

The conservancy is one of the good ones, we could end up with problems like Studland, but they have rebuffed any advances. The money goes on looking after the harbour, & its surroundings and keeps the natural beauty of the surroundings. Consider your payment as an investment in the future of the harbour. They are not a commercial business, and they have a board to answer to.

 

[wombat88]

They are saving up to replace missing withies...

 

[Trident]

They also had some very large EU grants

I have to say I think the Conservancy have gone too far with fee charging in recent years - charging now to use a paddle board!

However, they are unlikely to reduce fees or return anything; they exist to raise funds and then they find places to spend it to justify what they raised

My personal choice would be to hire some more people to patrol and stop all the speeding motorboats that plague the harbour

 

[Ningaloo]

I grew up in mid Sussex and learnt to sail at what was then the county owned sailing centre at chidham. The centre is still there and still has a fleet of bosun dinghies with yellow sails.
I based my first yacht at Premier in Birdham and I have been a regular visitor to the harbour over the last three seasons while I have been back in the UK.
I've also used the visitors pontoon at Itchenor for longer stays and found the harbour staff to be very helpful.
I'd agree that charging paddle boards may be a step too far but overall I think that we are fortunate to have such a beautiful resource, so well suited to sailing at all levels, and personally I don't have a problem with the harbour dues. The harbour needs maintenance regardless of the current unfortunate situation.

 

[SailingDog]

I tend to think the Conservancy are the good guys and can be trusted.

Certainly, I wouldn't want them to hand back any portion of Harbour Dues because of a once in 100 year event. Not least because they'll be needing to spend big £££ on keeping the East Head hinge intact and battling development or there won't be a harbour as we know it.

These organizations do need to be watched though, so your question is a good one.

(All IMHO.)

I believe there has been a change in direction in protecting shorelines, the hinge has been cleared of groynes and the bushes. The high tides are beginning to breach the hinge.

 

[Genoa]

Why is charging paddle boarders unfair? they use the slipways, or worse the natural banks which need maintaining, and last year I saw 2 being towed by harbour boats and these guys don’t charge to help. It is such a trivial amount, and it makes people think about their responsibilitIes.
I completely agree with the comment about having permanent speed enforcement at the entrance which would be good for everyones safety.

 

[oldharry]

I believe there has been a change in direction in protecting shorelines, the hinge has been cleared of groynes and the bushes. The high tides are beginning to breach the hinge.

I was there on Wednesday - its the storms that have cleared the bushes having cut right through them at a new point of the hinge, and the East head dunes have been cut back on their side by over 100m, since I was last there pre pandemic. As to stashing £millions, there are parts of the harbour where extensive sea defences have to be maintained to protect the villages behind them, notably round Prinstead where much of the village is well below surge level in the winter. The defences give protection to 6m above datum, the last major surge was 5.7m, and overtopped in one or two non residential areas. Also Fishbourne where the Lavant runs into the harbour the seawall protects much of the S end of Chichester some of which is less then 5m above datum. Maintaining or replacing these is a major civil engineering project which the harbour board has to fund in part. Then there is the regular dredging of the Bar Channel in order to keep sufficient depth for us to use it at most states of tide, not to mention an extensive buoyage system round the harbour. All this costs money - a great deal of it. The Conservancy is unique having its own Act of Parliament giving it extensive powers and responsibilities, including coastal defence, and conservation, the latter having changed out of al recognition in the 48 years since its inception.

Although CHC fended off NE's first attempts at applying the 2009 conservation and MCZ legislation, they are squarely in the firing line for the next round of MPAs and HMPAs because of the many 'special' habitats it covers, along with Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours away from the commercial sectors. Only this time it wont be driven by single purpose pressure groups like NGM and his SHT, but by a politically powerful national conservation lobby which will have steamrollered any small group like BORG or even RYA in the first round! Things ARE going to change and change radically whether we like it or not, and not for the better as far as our sport is concerned!

 

[Fantasie 19]

Am I being unreasonable?

Yes - the fees are not onerous (imho), and the harbour is beautiful...

 

[Sandy]

Am I being unreasonable?

Yes. Welcome to the forum.

What type of sailing do you do?

 

[SailingDog]

I was there on Wednesday - its the storms that have cleared the bushes having cut right through them at a new point of the hinge, and the East head dunes have been cut back on their side by over 100m, since I was last there pre pandemic. As to stashing £millions, there are parts of the harbour where extensive sea defences have to be maintained to protect the villages behind them, notably round Prinstead where much of the village is well below surge level in the winter. The defences give protection to 6m above datum, the last major surge was 5.7m, and overtopped in one or two non residential areas. Also Fishbourne where the Lavant runs into the harbour the seawall protects much of the S end of Chichester some of which is less then 5m above datum. Maintaining or replacing these is a major civil engineering project which the harbour board has to fund in part. Then there is the regular dredging of the Bar Channel in order to keep sufficient depth for us to use it at most states of tide, not to mention an extensive buoyage system round the harbour. All this costs money - a great deal of it. The Conservancy is unique having its own Act of Parliament giving it extensive powers and responsibilities, including coastal defence, and conservation, the latter having changed out of al recognition in the 48 years since its inception.

Although CHC fended off NE's first attempts at applying the 2009 conservation and MCZ legislation, they are squarely in the firing line for the next round of MPAs and HMPAs because of the many 'special' habitats it covers, along with Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours away from the commercial sectors. Only this time it wont be driven by single purpose pressure groups like NGM and his SHT, but by a politically powerful national conservation lobby which will have steamrollered any small group like BORG or even RYA in the first round! Things ARE going to change and change radically whether we like it or not, and not for the better as far as our sport is concerned!

A regular visitor to East head, the bushes were removed with a large excavator a few weeks ago, the groynes were removed by a team of chaps with chain saws and metal cutting equipment.

 

[oldharry]

A regular visitor to East head, the bushes were removed with a large excavator a few weeks ago, the groynes were removed by a team of chaps with chain saws and metal cutting equipment.

Didnt make a very good job of it then..... But it does look as though they are giving up trying to protect it. The hinge Wednesday afternoon:

 

[SailingDog]

Didnt make a very good job of it then..... But it does look as though they are giving up trying to protect it. The hinge Wednesday afternoon:

View attachment 112684View attachment 112686

I have to agree it looks a bit untidy how's that for polite but at least the mud has gone or dried out

 

[Mark-1]

Didnt make a very good job of it then..... But it does look as though they are giving up trying to protect it. The hinge Wednesday afternoon:

Its been erroded to a startling degree this winter - whole dunes on the beach have gone too. Plus the dunes on the West side of East Head have erroded back to a remarkable degree.

However, I checked in Feb when I was last down there and they *are* going to defend the hinge, it will not be allowed to break through.

 

[Sandy]

However, I checked in Feb when I was last down there and they *are* going to defend the hinge, it will not be allowed to break through.

Mother nature might have other ideas.

Several years ago they spent weeks dredging sand from the mouth of the Exe and "built" Dawlish Warren back up. Then one dark and stormy mother nature thew a hoolie and all that hard work was removed. Don't get me going about the sea wall at Dawlish and railways.

 

[LadyInBed]

I chose not to pay Poole Harbour dues last year as I could see that the boat wouldn't be leaving the river. The EA who control the river and moorings give you the option to allow them to collect Poole Harbour dues or for you to pay them direct to the Poole Harbour Commission.