Fawley - possible marina.

[Povremeni pomorac]

Anyone in the Solent area knows the chimney of the power station. Well, demolition of the main building has started I think, and presumably the chimney will not be far behind. The red lights were switched off a couple of days ago. But there seems to be a plan to turn it into a marina and residential area. Fair enough. However, the nothern part cannot be built on as it's within an exclusion zone due to the proximity of the oil refinery, so the housing will be on the southern end. There seems to be a channel into the PS which can do doubt be enlarged and dredged.
Two things would put me off (if one excludes what are bound to be high prices) and they are:- The proximity of the refinery. OK, the wind is usually SW, but if northerly there would be likely to be a stench. I suppose one day we won't need to refine oil, but unlikely for a long time. Secondly, there is really only one road out- northwards towards the M 27 and the A 35. It's often pretty busy as traffic from Hythe, Dibden etc joins it. Unless there is a plan to enlarge and upgrade the road, people living there might spend a lot of time in traffic jams.

 

[Resolution]

Anyone in the Solent area knows the chimney of the power station. Well, demolition of the main building has started I think, and presumably the chimney will not be far behind. The red lights were switched off a couple of days ago. But there seems to be a plan to turn it into a marina and residential area. Fair enough. However, the nothern part cannot be built on as it's within an exclusion zone due to the proximity of the oil refinery, so the housing will be on the southern end. There seems to be a channel into the PS which can do doubt be enlarged and dredged.
Two things would put me off (if one excludes what are bound to be high prices) and they are:- The proximity of the refinery. OK, the wind is usually SW, but if northerly there would be likely to be a stench. I suppose one day we won't need to refine oil, but unlikely for a long time. Secondly, there is really only one road out- northwards towards the M 27 and the A 35. It's often pretty busy as traffic from Hythe, Dibden etc joins it. Unless there is a plan to enlarge and upgrade the road, people living there might spend a lot of time in traffic jams.

It has the potential to add a much-needed and attractive marina to the Solent. I worked for a while in Hythe and we researched potential marina sites up the West side; this was the best all-round prospect. Sure the Fawley fumes will be noticeable in the minority of the time the wind blows from the North. But for much of the year we have West or SW winds, which would put Hamble river very close to being in the wind shadow.
As for traffic, the road down from the M27 is pretty busy, but more so during the week than the weekend, as far as I could see. Nowhere like as bad as the single road access to the lower Hamble marinas on a weekend.
In terms of overall travel time to get sailing, the power station marina would be right at the bottom of Southampton Water, so it would be a case of cast off, hoist the sails and get sailing in just a minute or two.
I wish the project speed and success!

 

[DJE]

Ok as long as there are good restaurants and I can book a visitor's berth in advance. ?

 

[greggron]

The chimney is such a useful landmark, its demolition will sadden many.

 

[Blue Sunray]

Ok as long as there are good restaurants and I can book a visitor's berth in advance. ?

Are you going to want to be able to cancel and get your money back if the weather is a bit iffy as well?

 

[Tomahawk]

One wonders what the RYA would say about it.
Certainly there is a shortage of boating facilities in the S Coast and with more housing being built, there is a need for more facilities.

 

[Sailfree]

A326 will need improvement.

Our house is just off this road at Ashurst and traffic has trippled over last 25yrs but no road improvement since building the Totton Bypass.

Our boat used to be at Hamble Point marina but a marina at Fawley will be the nearest one on the mainland to Cowes. Bramble bank might get busier!

 

[ashtead]

New housIng would certainly help ,however with houses go schools,doctors,sewage etc and I just wonder what commitment there is by the local council to provide such facilities ? A new development like Ocean Village in Soton might be the way to go however as I guess some lovely views for hotEls and bars etc and the smells seem a minor issue . Sadly it might look more like Portland though in terms of facilities and quality of development if the RYA become involved.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Why do or would the RYA become involved, genuinely curious?

 

[Tranona]

Why do or would the RYA become involved, genuinely curious?

Exactly. Some think the RYA should be campaigning for more marina facilities when really that is a planning issue at one level and an economic decision by the developer. Planning permission for this size development will come with a significant levy by the council to fund some of the infrastructure improvements and a requirement for social housing. While a marina will be attractive for developers as the main revenue generator is not on land but in unused water area, it does require significant land for parking and support activity, so a mixed berth/residential village type to be the most obvious. Doubt that straightforward boat parking would be high on the council's list of development priorities.

 

[MikeB.]

Full details of the re - development of the Fawley Power Station site can be found here:
Fawley Waterside: Main Site
Expansion of the Port Of Southampton into the reclaimed land at Dibden Bay part of the new Solent Free Port area and other projects along that coast line are being co-ordinated by Solent LEP - Local Enterprise Partnership - Solent LEPhttps://solentlep.org.uk on behalf of HMG.
Latest cash injection.. Our £5.6M investment opens up coastal development on Southampton Water - Solent LEP

 

[Povremeni pomorac]

Full details of the re - development of the Fawley Power Station site can be found here:
Fawley Waterside: Main Site
Expansion of the Port Of Southampton into the reclaimed land at Dibden Bay part of the new Solent Free Port area and other projects along that coast line are being co-ordinated by Solent LEP - Local Enterprise Partnership - Solent LEPhttps://solentlep.org.uk on behalf of HMG.
Latest cash injection.. Our £5.6M investment opens up coastal development on Southampton Water - Solent LEP

Looks nice, doesn't it? I hope it works, but as has been said, it all hinges on extra infrastructure, not least water supply. We seem to be a bit short of it in S Hampshire we're told. Mind you, with the current concerns over Nitrates, it might not happen?

 

[Stemar]

Bramble bank might get busier!

It certainly will if there are charter operations at Fawley...

 

[Habebty]

Secondly, there is really only one road out- northwards towards the M 27 and the A 35. It's often pretty busy as traffic from Hythe, Dibden etc joins it. Unless there is a plan to enlarge and upgrade the road, people living there might spend a lot of time in traffic jams.

I predict a return of passenger trains to the Fawley branch within 2 -3 years giving an off peak hourly service taking about 25mins to Southampton Central.

 

[DJE]

Exactly. Some think the RYA should be campaigning for more marina facilities when really that is a planning issue at one level and an economic decision by the developer. Planning permission for this size development will come with a significant levy by the council to fund some of the infrastructure improvements and a requirement for social housing. While a marina will be attractive for developers as the main revenue generator is not on land but in unused water area, it does require significant land for parking and support activity, so a mixed berth/residential village type to be the most obvious. Doubt that straightforward boat parking would be high on the council's list of development priorities.

Seems to me that all the big marina developments are financed by house sales with the waterside activities there to make the housing more attractive.

This:-

https://d2kq0urxkarztv.cloudfront.n...-bbf5-4f73-a29c-ba5a7d604999.jpg?w=960&e=webp

Looks like a lot of housing and not much water.

 

[penfold]

I predict a return of passenger trains to the Fawley branch within 2 -3 years giving an off peak hourly service taking about 25mins to Southampton Central.

A ferry service to Soton is more likely, at least in the short term.

 

[LittleSister]

Just what the Solent needs - more boats!

Some think the RYA should be campaigning for more marina facilities when really that is a planning issue at one level

But part of the object and process of planning is to consider the relevant views of all interested parties. Why should the RYA not have a view? I am pretty sure the RYA have commented on planning applications and development plans in the past..

The RYA might suggest that a condition of planning permission is that YBW forumites can book visitor spaces in advance.

 

[Tomahawk]

Why do or would the RYA become involved, genuinely curious?

It’s an odd thing but you. can’t go boating without a boat, which also includes somewhere to store them where they can be used. .And by their naturs boats are big. Even small ones like the egalitarian Mirror take up almost enough space to park a car. All of which adds up to a very significant need for space and facilities to enable people to enjoy boating for without boat yards and marinas there is no boating.

So in order for the RYA is to support peoples passion for boating, they need to suppport the provision of boating facilities. It is worth noting that the RSPB and various wildlife organisation are very vociferous in supporting their members passion for looking at animals. What use is the RYA if they don’t support their members passion for boating?

 

[Tomahawk]

Just what the Solent needs - more boats!



But part of the object and process of planning is to consider the relevant views of all interested parties. Why should the RYA not have a view? I am pretty sure the RYA have commented on planning applications and development plans in the past..

The RYA might suggest that a condition of planning permission is that YBW forumites can book visitor spaces in advance.

There is a live application for a new marina at Brightlingsea. This being the first purpose build boating facility on the East Coast for meny decades. I have notified the so called boating organisation but they decline to support the application because a bug hugger outfit has demanded all possible land where bug huggers might spot a bug is designated as protected. In effect so that bug huggers have rights of management that elevate bug huggers above the rest of the community.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

... Just what the Solent needs - more boats! ...

I wonder if there is any truth in that. Where there is a concentration of an activity, to an excess, usually some sort of control is brought in e.g. Lake Distric waterski zones and speed limits, Scotland's Right To Roam Wild Camping banned in Loch Lomond National Park. Could boating developments be limited now in the Solent area? The proposed development at Fawley looks fantastic but the marina space does look very small.