Osea Island - New Pier?

[rgarside]

There seems to be a floating pontoon pier installed just to the W of the old Osea Pier. Anyone know anything about it?

This afternoon it seemed to be occupied by a film crew, so maybe it is just temporary.

 

[Leighb]

I didn’t notice that when we went past last week, but is the long row of buoys with 8knot speed limit also new? I don’t recall seeing them before but it is a couple of years since we last visited the Blackwater. I did slow right down, but was not sure if the limit applied to the whole river, or just the area between the buoys and the shore?

 

[Cantata]

I didn’t notice that when we went past last week, but is the long row of buoys with 8knot speed limit also new? I don’t recall seeing them before but it is a couple of years since we last visited the Blackwater. I did slow right down, but was not sure if the limit applied to the whole river, or just the area between the buoys and the shore?

There is a blanket speed limit for the whole river within 250m of the shore. See here - https://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/EE-MDCW/cms/pdf/Fast Craft in the Blackwater Estuary.pdf

 

[Marmalade]

Think whoever lives in the house now has a pier / pontoon with wheels so it can be rolled down into the water even at low tide and allow a boat to come alongside. Have seen it on the beach a couple of times

Speed limit always been there but maybe there's more buoys this year...

 

[Plum]

Think whoever lives in the house now has a pier / pontoon with wheels so it can be rolled down into the water even at low tide and allow a boat to come alongside. Have seen it on the beach a couple of times

Speed limit always been there but maybe there's more buoys this year...

The wheeled structure has now gone and has been replaced by a floating pontoon last week but it is not finished.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[sarabande]

Would such a device require permission from the Marine Management Organisation ?

A proposal to move our pontoon a few metres has resulted in lots of conversations with MMO and the County Planning office.

 

[Leighb]

There is a blanket speed limit for the whole river within 250m of the shore. See here - https://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/EE-MDCW/cms/pdf/Fast Craft in the Blackwater Estuary.pdf

Thanks for the clarification, I guess I could have carried on at cruising speed, but would have slowed anyway as my wash could have affected anchored/moored boats in that narrow part of the river. I have had a look in East Coast pilot and did not find any reference to a blanket speed limit anywhere within 250m of the shore. Maybe I missed the reference.

 

[Cantata]

Thanks for the clarification, I guess I could have carried on at cruising speed, but would have slowed anyway as my wash could have affected anchored/moored boats in that narrow part of the river. I have had a look in East Coast pilot and did not find any reference to a blanket speed limit anywhere within 250m of the shore. Maybe I missed the reference.

Ahem, well, er, no there doesn't seem to be a reference. Could have sworn it was in there! Ho hum, next time then! (I blame Colin Jarman, he originally wrote that chapter bless 'im, and he's not here to argue).

 

[PeterWright]

Would such a device require permission from the Marine Management Organisation ?

A proposal to move our pontoon a few metres has resulted in lots of conversations with MMO and the County Planning office.

My understanding is that such works require the sanction of the MMO, unless you're a statutory Port Authority, in which case you can do whatever you like. Even maintenance of coastal structures requires MMO approval, eve if you put it back together as originally installed.

Peter.

 

[sarabande]

Does anyone on the E Coast know if the new works have been referred to the MMO ? And if so, with what public result ? ?

 

[LittleSister]

If it's not a purely temporary or mobile structure it will require planning permission from the District (not County, in this instance - Maldon DC?). It will require a licence from the river authority (probably Environment Agency). If it's in a statutory harbour it will require the harbour authority's permission. It may require consent from the Marine Management Organisation, but I think more likely the MMO would just be consulted by the planning authority and river authority before making their own decisions.

I suggest the district council planning office would be the first, er, port of call for enquiries.

The (previous?) owner of Osea Island seems to have history of undertaking works without getting permission (e.g. building up the causeway), but I thought I read somewhere recently that a female pop star had bought the island.

 

[Bru]

The (previous?) owner of Osea Island seems to have history of undertaking works without getting permission (e.g. building up the causeway), but I thought I read somewhere recently that a female pop star had bought the island.

I believe it's owned by a music producer. It has, apparently, a fully equipped recording studio as well as a rangeof luxury accommodation

The pop star to whom you refer was probably Rihanna who rented the entire island for a while to record her last album (again, according to reports)

 

[ex-Gladys]

The foreshore on the Blackwater used to have split responsibility in my days at Marconi (ended in 1993). The area west of the yellow fisheries buoys about half way down the Marconi moorings is the responsibility of MDC, the area to the east Crown Estates...

 

[PeterWright]

Again, my understanding is that marine licences issued by the MMO are entirely independent of (additional to) any requirements for planning application under the Town & Country Planning Act. A brief quotation from the MMO website:

"The marine licensing team are responsible for consenting and regulating any activity that occurs below ‘mean high water springs’ level that would require a marine licence. The definition mean high water springs is the average throughout a year of the heights of two successive high waters during those periods of 24 hours (approximately once a fortnight) when the range of the tide is greatest. These activities can range from moorings for private jetties to nuclear power plants and offshore windfarms. When assessing applications for licences we aim to deliver timely, cost proportionate and evidence-based determinations whilst providing excellent customer service through a user-friendly system."


Their website also provides an "interactive assistance tool" to hel;p us simple citizens work out whether any proposed activity is licensable, but the overview is that you need a licence for the following:

"Activities that may need a marine licence
There are seven categories of activity that may need a marine licence. Follow the links below to find out more about the activities and the circumstances in which they may need a marine licence:
Construction (including laying of cables, maintenance, alteration or improvement of existing structures and assets)
Dredging
Deposit of any substance or object
Removal of any substance or object
Incineration of any substance or object
Scuttling (sinking) of any vessel or floating container
Use of explosives
Licensable activities within the MMO’s jurisdiction are detailed in Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009"


Peter.

 

[Marmalade]

The foreshore on the Blackwater used to have split responsibility in my days at Marconi (ended in 1993). The area west of the yellow fisheries buoys about half way down the Marconi moorings is the responsibility of MDC, the area to the east Crown Estates...

That's true of the riverbed - we have to pay fees for laying moorings to two separate authorities as you say... no idea whether the foreshore is similarly accounted for.

 

[rgarside]

Apparently the pontoons are only temporary, they are being used for filming for a month or so.

 

[Tam Lin]

Something was going on on Osea over the weekend. There was a crane with what looked like a kind of light used for filming suspended from it. Then it was gone.

 

[tillergirl]

Today:

MALDON DISTRICT COUNCIL

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS

OSEA ISLAND

RIVER BLACKWATER, ESSEX

Admiralty Chart 3741

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATE

AUGUST 2019

Notice is hereby given that a temporary floating jetty measuring 56.7mtrs in length has been installed alongside the Osea Pier on the south side of the Island.
The Jetty which does not extend beyond the existing structure, sits within the line of the pier which is lit at night. The jetty is not for public use and mariners are advised to give the structure a wide berth owing to the nature of the mooring anchors that secure it in place. This will be removed by 14th August 2019.

You are further notified that four temporary causeway markers have been installed along the course of the Osea Causeway. These are not lit at night and are marked by mooring buoys at high tide. These will be removed from site by the 13th August 2019. Exercise caution when navigating through this area.

For further information regarding this Notice to Mariners contact:
Maldon District Council River Bailiff on 01621 875837

DATE: 6th August 2019

River Bailiff
Maldon District Council

 

[PeterWright]

Apparently the pontoons are only temporary, they are being used for filming for a month or so.

Presumably the temporary pontoons extend beyond Mean High Water Springs and therefore require a licence from the MMO.

Peter.