Major River Teign Boatyard given Marching Orders

[ronsurf]

Hi not really sure which best Forum to post this info in, so doing it here, for now.

Down here in the South West on the River Teign, the Major Boatyard has apparently been given 'Marching Orders' by the Landlords, a significant local Company who only aquired the Land a few years ago from the Gas Board, as the land was owned by the Gas Board for generations, but the whole site was cleared and mainly leveled off then used by a Boat Builder for general Boat storage, boat building, plus ancillary boat related uses, for many many years.

The recent site owners have an application in for total redevelopment, to include Housing, Beach Huts, small business workshops, etc, intending, they say, to retain some of the local businesses already using their site but evicting the others, which include the Major Boat Yard proprietor; He was given about 3 months to go, no compensation by the site owners was either offered or agreed to when asked ?

But as the events emerge, it became clear that the Landlords are intent on retaining some of the Boatyards clients after their leaving as a list of prices /costs is expected to emerge in September, but the core of the Boatyards heavy lifting and tranporting equipment is expected to go to new premises not to far away.

The question about the Yard Laid river moorings has arrisen, I understand that the Landlord is expecting those moorings to be taken away from the Boat Yard proprietor and handed to him by the Harbour Authority, which is interesting, as the Boatyard proprietor has a contract till march running and clients on those moorings. Plus the mooring have been laid by the Boat Yard proprietor.

The landlord has stated verbally and its shown on the Planning application that some boat craft can be stored on the new site, but as the new development buildings take up over half the available ground its pretty plain to see that Boat activities will be severley curtailed, but a replacement Slipway is on the plans.

All in all its left a lot of us with a sour taste in our mouths, as the Boatyard is the ONLY yard of its size left able to take Motor Cruisers and Yachts especially those requiring long term restoration; the other boat sheds are really small scale pleasure craft, where 'tityvating' as such can be aquired.

Its another 'nail in the coffin' of Teignmouths long heritage of Boat Building, the Morgan Giles yard closed up some years ago now, its site being Retirement Flats and housing, retaining the main slipway, but, alas, no Morgan Giles boats to adorn it.

Have a look online and see if the site is at risk from flooding. Most yards are. If it is at risk from flooding then any development will be very limited. Only water compatible developments are permitted in areas at high risk from flooding.

It's a thin thread of hope though. The financial rewards for developing a waterside site are so high that developers are able to overcome a lot of obstacles. (Don't you know there's a housing shortage! The sooner these exclusive waterfront properties are built for the luxury inclined the better!).

 

[Riverside Boatyard]

Hi there; in the case I am highlighting, the recent Land Owners, a Company operating in heavy engineering projects, bought the land from a Gas Company who did have Chris Humphries Boatyard operating a Boat Yard on the land before it was sold off by Gas Company; the presnt Boatyard, Riverside Boatyard, was granted permission to contnue Trading as a Boatyard by the Heavy Engineering Company when they purchased the Land.
What has happened is that the Heavy Engineering Company have given notice to Riverside Boatyard to vacate the land, owing to a Planning Application for redevelopment to include Housing and a few Small Workshops, some selected existing workshops have been asked to stay a while, others been given notice to leave.
What is very galling is that the heavy Engineering Company appear to be starting to operate as a Boatyard as well and appear to be asking existing Boatowners to stay and start paying them ?

Teignmouth Maritime Properties own the land at Riverside since purchasing it in 2018 from South West Water (not a gas company). The previous tenant who operated the boat storage facility was given 5 months notice to relocate. All 4 tenants in the workshops at the boatyard continue to trade and have NOT been given notice and will have new workshops when the yard is redeveloped. I'm not sure what 'Captain Popeye' expected the land to become when under new ownership.

 

[ronsurf]

Teignmouth Maritime Properties own the land at Riverside since purchasing it in 2018 from South West Water (not a gas company). The previous tenant who operated the boat storage facility was given 5 months notice to relocate. All 4 tenants in the workshops at the boatyard continue to trade and have NOT been given notice and will have new workshops when the yard is redeveloped. I'm not sure what 'Captain Popeye' expected the land to become when under new ownership.

There are boatyards here that have stayed as boatyards when under new ownership. I think that's what he was expecting.

Half the site is in a Flood Zone and should stay as water compatible use.

But, I'm sure you've got speculators investors breathing down your neck expecting a good return.

 

[andsarkit]

It looks like most of Baltic Wharf boatyard up the Dart at Totnes is going to become housing.
Consultation | Baltic Wharf Regeneration

 

[Moodysailor]

One of the interesting parts about this thread is the concept of who most boatyard owners are. The number of companies who can afford to purchase waterfront real-estate in the UK, then develop, invest and make a return from a marina are very, very small. The reality is that most of these people are real-estate owners who happen to operate marinas, not marina owners who happen to develop real estate.

Once the rose tinted glasses are removed and we start realising that it is the housing and hotel developments that pay for the pontoons and moorings, and therefore we need to find a way to work with these companies to create a functional relationship, the better off we will be.

In my general view, local berthholders, water users and interested residents should come together to create some kind of cooperative, with a speaking partner that can meet & talk with the developers/owners. If we want to hold onto water facilities, individual voices complaining won't be enough. The problem is that I rarely see this type of collaboration.

In relation to this particular topic, as a Teignmouth resident I am pleased to hear the facilities are staying

 

[stephen_h]

It looks like most of Baltic Wharf boatyard up the Dart at Totnes is going to become housing.
Consultation | Baltic Wharf Regeneration

It does say that the boatyard will remain - however doesn't say how big it will be!

 

[andsarkit]

It does say that the boatyard will remain - however doesn't say how big it will be!

There are only artist's impressions rather than plans but it looks like 2/3 housing and 1/3 boatyard. I can see Blackness marine further down the Dart will have an incentive to expand now.

 

[Capt Popeye]

There are only artist's impressions rather than plans but it looks like 2/3 housing and 1/3 boatyard. I can see Blackness marine further down the Dart will have an incentive to expand now.

Well have seen information on a development in Cornwall where aparently the whole riverside quay area has been purchased with a view to providing Harbourside Housing ; cannot recall the notable Fishing Port now , but developers it appears have come to an agreement with the Fishermen to provide , new covered 'over /in' area for the Fishermen to Operate from / store Pots and Nets etc etc ; the Fishermen previously just stored their Pots /Nets in their own recognised area on the Quayside , which the Housing Developers recognised as not being an incentive to the possible New Home Buyers , so providing the Fishermen with their clearly marked out area was a big plus to Fishermen and New Home Buyers together ; this special area would be far easier to keep the H&S safety precautions in place than the sprawled out previous arrangements . Notwithstanding the 'fishy smell' from used gear .

Back to our Teign Boatyard development proposal . My concerns were that the Boatyard when being developed as Riverside Housing and Beach Huts with leisure boating storeage , was that we might loose the Commercial Boatyard facilities , like a large Boat Transporter (needed for some of the local commercial Boats operating in Teignmouth Harbour) the extended Lay Up facilities so that some of the Timber Commercial Craft which required regular Caulking and Planks replacing , as its the only Boatyard left on the Teign , its loss would be irreplaceable .

As the development has unfolded before our eyes its become pretty apparent that some of these fears were unfounded , the Site Owners have invested in plant to meet these local requirements . The original Design Brief and Artists impressions as published did not (opinion) convey the eventual intended outcome , but the development as progressing does in my opinion show much prommise.

I do have concerns that on such a development the retaining / reconstituting Commercial Craft activities might need carefull H&S requirement ; seperation for Safety Reasons etc ; I recall that down at Faversham (Kent) a similar commercial and New Housing development fell into difficulties due to New Residents complaining about the very large Baulks of timer laying about the quayside ; being considered unsightlyand dangerous ; in fact it was potential Timber Planks for the Favershem Barges etc ; the Baulks of timber were seasoning /drying out

 

[Capt Popeye]

Well at long last the Council have decided upon the Planning application ; They rejected the plans to develop The Riverside Boatyard , on land that previously housed the Local Gas Works before the existing Boat Yards were operating there ;
The reasons given appear to be -

Lack of affordable Housing
Limited Public Benefit
Impact upon the landscape

So its back to the drawing boards I guess with the owners , a development company plus a Marine operations Company

Taken reports from published Council information plus local news outlets in my area ; so can guess thats the info is well founded and based upon facts (hopefully ?)

So in some ways a great pity , so I guess its not (maybe) the end of the decisions (understand that the voting was 8 -2

 

[Capt Popeye]

The good news about the Boatyard is that its now back to its near original storage space as the tempoary fenced off area let out has been restored ; so its much the same as before , boating wise

 

[Capt Popeye]

Well a Spin Off from the Riverside Boatyard Management change has been that the O/Winter Hard Standing , for mainly Sailing Craft , has not happened this year ; (never known a year when it has not happened) , on Teignmouth Council owned facility a Free Public Launching Site with Car and Trailer parking all On Site . The Council Web site states that the Riverside Boatyard will not be providing this facility this year so the Council will be looking for a different operator; A great pity as it was especially usefull for Saing Craft as they did not have to go Up River , above the Shaldon Bridge , and having to lower their Masts to do so

Just hope that the Council can find an Operator willing to resume this facility for the next Lay Up season