Plans for Bembridge Harbour.

J

jimbouy

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www.bluemoonlight.co.uk
The Bembridge Harbour Improvement Trust have lodged planning apps for various so called improvements.

Whilst it may mean more and better facilities for the visiting yachtsman it will probably change the face of the Bembridge to a large degree.


Apps can be viewed here web page

I think English Nature are objecting with ref to the effect on wild life. Local talk seems to be that the app. won't get thru on environmental grounds.....

The planning app. is long winded but there if anyone is interested.


Jim
 
Yet another nail in the coffin for Bembridge Harbour. The BHIC is not popular, nor is the bloke that claims he doesn't run it (something to do with not being allowed to be a director maybe?). Loads of local mooring holders have cleared off to other local harbours, prices have gone up a massive amount, all the local companies and businesses who've leased and sub-let moorings have been told to get lost, and they are laying their own moorings - that's a fiasco on its own, as they had no moorings laid at the start of June! It's all about money, unfortunately. They don't want the traditional cruising yachtsman any more as they don't spend enough. They want people to come over in boats the size of a block of flats, tie up, spend loads of money on drink and restaurant meals, and then clear off by 6 o clock so they can lock up and go home. And they don't give a toss about English Nature, the National Trust, the migrant waders or the local users.
 
"They want people to come over in boats the size of a block of flats, tie up, spend loads of money on drink and restaurant meals."

That's hard-to-do, in Bembridge.

Err, I couldn't be arsed to look at all the docs on the IOW link, above - got as far as seeing that they wanted to dredge the entrance channel (it needs it badly), but what else is proposed?
 
You'd be suprised - I was in there last year and was on the end of a raft. On the inside was a SunSeeker Predetor 56. I voiced my suprise to the harbour master who assured me it is quite regular and reletively easy for him to get in.
 
No problem with some sensible dredging..... I commented to Nigel earlier that alot of water has been lost in the harbour since I was a kid.

But to see the local business, boat owners and wild life suffer does not seem right.

I also wonder how long term the plan is as surely the dredging at the entrance will actually let more of the inner harbour silt up... unless maintained. I am no expert and a tad sentimental.

Suggestion is of a short term boost to make the BHIT seem attractive.

Jim
 
[ QUOTE ]
...Loads of local mooring holders have cleared off to other local harbours...

[/ QUOTE ]
Where?
[ QUOTE ]
...spend loads of money on drink and restaurant meals...

[/ QUOTE ]
Where?
 
"smoke screen"... for what. What do English Nature stand to gain from preserving the SSSI. OK it helps justify their existence, but I doubt their jobs depend on it.

I'm not against change totally, I'd like to see some sensible dredging and a further extension to the existing visitors pontoon.

But why squeeze out local users and business, even long established clubs may disappear.

Further pontoons on the East side of the harbour would put some berths closer to so called attractions but Bembridge will never be another Cowes or Port Solent. Well not for many decades anyway.

Seems to me that the fact is that no one has ever made real money from the running of the harbour since the days when BR maintained it and the St Helens beach. With out massive redevelopment I doubt they ever will and with the NT owning massive chunks of the surrounding land is that likely to happen?

I'm not saying leave it as it is! Just keep it sensible.


Jim
 
Mmmm,

I can't answer the first question either... but they must have gone some where, or all together.


I did read something about a possible Boutique hotel/bistro on the eastern side of the harbour. But that is hardly attractive to yachties.

So I too wonder where all the new visitors that BHIT are trying to attract will spend their £'s and time. Perhaps in the long term the hope is to squeeze out some local business and develop a bar/restaurant.

Time will tell.


Jim
 
Bembridge over the years ....

As a child on my fathers boats - it was a charming and lovely village with best Lobster ever.
Then they knocked down the Smugglers Hut ... that put to bed the Lobster ...
British Rail sold out to Brading Hbr Cmm'srs
They stopped boats anchoring in middle of harbour.
They built Brading Marina and Yacht Club.
They failed to keep the promised dredging going.

But wasn't too bad - at least visitors pontoons were connected to shore in the small marina. Long walk to town though.

But then it really took a dive ... they changed viz berths to permanent holders and shunted us all of onto the viz pontoons with no walk-ashore or services.
They then grudgingly connected them to shore with an even longer walk anywhere.

Established biz like Attrills etc. - they pee'd all over etc. Along with locals and other interests.

I read with interest some of the sheets on the site and one caught my eye ...... 200,000 ton of shingle to be dredged out ... Now that is an eye-opener. That is worth a lot of dosh to any aggregate company. Now I may be a cynic, I may see things that may not be there ... but who will benefit from removal of 200K of shingle ?

It's a good financial incentive to any party who has interest ?

The rest of the development ? No sorry - they made a mistake years ago in not using the "sorry" shore line between Yacht Club and Fishermans landing ..... that would have been much better location for viz pontoons etc. They could have had deep water at end for fins etc. and drying for bilge / lifting etc. - shorter walk to anything east and west ... cleaned up an eyesore shore line etc.

Well they know best .. and I'm sure the money raised will not benefit locals ..

Sad to see Bembridge now compared to its former self ...
 
Re: Bembridge over the years ....

Such a shame.

I loved it the first time I went there - berth on the pontoon by the yacht club at a sensible price.

I went there a couple of years ago and thought I was buying the pontoon - for the privilege of being rafted up 3 deep, a dinghy ride from anything except inadquate toilets.

I haven't been back, and doubt this development will tempt me, somehow.
 
Berthed near Yacht Club ....

If you didn't fancy the walk to the town or up the hill into St. Helens - the Yacht Club was a fine place to visit ...

I had a very good time there one Mid-summers day when they had live music and cracking BBQ ... very friendly - very nice indeed.

Now - most likely same in there - but harbour has changed such that it's not inviting anymore.
 
Re: Berthed near Yacht Club ....

Summary ... from the harbours own website news page....

Issued well before the planning app went in.


NEWSLETTER

........Over the next two years various areas within the Harbour are being modernised and extended.

Wades Marina formally Wades Pontoon will be replaced with a new modern access pier and pontoons. The marina complex will be served by a brand new electricity and water installation and the car park area to the East will be extended.

Bembridge Marina will, this winter, have a brand new electricity installation, the water supply will be replaced with new modern outlets and the pontoon decking will be upgraded.

The Duver Marina is to be extended by approximately 150 metres. The new fingers have proved very popular and user friendly and more will be added. Lynx engineering will be managing a fuel facility selling diesel on the Duver marina forecourt. A shop will be opening in the early spring selling all the essentials and a selection of life's little luxuries.

Embankment Marina formally Fisherman's Wharf is being upgraded with an extension to the pontoons and car park. The existing piles are being replaced and the pontoon decking renewed. Extra fingers are being added and new floating storage facilities for the fishermen will be provided. The electricity and water installations are being upgraded and the narrow bridge connecting the pontoons to the shore will be replaced with a full width access.

Fully serviced moorings will be available in the coming season, they will be arranged in trots with boats moored fore and aft. All moorings will be in close proximity to the main channel and will be serviced by a water taxi which will be available free of charge to run mooring holders and there crew to and from their boats. In addition there will be racks available to store mooring holders dinghies and they will have free use of shower and toilet facilities. If required, at a small extra cost you can winter your boat on a pontoon berth or have it stored on hard standing. See tariffs for details.................


To facilitate this 200,000 ton of gravel will be dredged and more locals will not have their moorings renewed.


Jim
 
Re: Berthed near Yacht Club ....

Sounds like what append at Mylor, locals kicked out, or out priced, now all up market.
About 10 years ago in the summer 90% of boats were out sailing, now it's around 10%, the rest never appear to go anywhere. The friendly yacht club is empty, we do have a tapas bar, another cafe, and dearest showers this side of Cowes.

Funny thing this progess.

Brian
 
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