Priors Yard update

[edmaggs]

Dear EastCoasters

I've been meaning to put something up here for some time, but have been a bit shy about putting my head above the parapet on these fora.

Many of you will be aware of the situation around Priors boatyard in Burnham-on-Crouch, which is currently the subject of a planning application. The story began in 2015 when, facing a very serious illness, Robin Prior commissioned a dystopian but unrealistic proposal for residential development on all of Prior's riverfront sites (see the attached picture). This idea was treated harshly by the planners before any formal application was made, and Priors then started offering the yard for sale as a going concern at around £2,000,000, its value as housing land. Despite getting into advanced talks with a local businessman/developer nothing happened.

At this stage, a small group of people who were concerned with Burnham's willingness to decline into an identikit commuter town, formed Maritime Burnham (www.maritimeburnham.com), to provide a focus for discussion and alternatives.

Fortunately Robin Prior's health is much improved, and Prior's have since submitted the current planning application for housing on one of their sites, the Maltings sheds, the low build sheds to the West of the main Priors wharf, with a roofline of two shallow curves. The application can be seen here: https://publicaccess.maldon.gov.uk/...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OTR2VTKKK4T00.

The application is counter to several chunks of planning policy, but Priors say that the core business needs the injection of cash that would come from the sale of this land for housing, and that this is the only way that the business can survive. We oppose the residential plan, but welcome the change of sentiment from them, and are putting together a plan to help them achieve this, and to keep the Maltings sheds in maritime use.

There's details of our plan on our website: in short we (Maritime Burnham) want to buy and stabilise the sheds with the principal aim of continuing to provide storage for yachts and supporting Priors, with the further aim of doing a partial conversion of the building for leisure/maritime. However, if the planning application is granted, it is unlikely that we could match the value of the land for housing.

We have made an initial offer to Priors, and this last week had a structural engineer examine the shed, in the light of the claims that it really is beyond economical repair, and await his report.

There's a lot more detail on the website, but these are the bulletpoints:

1. Times are tough in many areas of business, but we don't believe the traditional boatyard model is dead, and a town centre yard with undercover storage/diy space is a valuable and rare commodity. Until two years ago, when Priors began winding down, the shed was choc-a-bloc each winter.
2. Burnham's declining levels of involvement in sailing are only partly endemic and cyclical. Management problems in some of Burnham's sailing venues have contributed to the decline, in what is in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. You only have to go up the River to Fambridge, or across the Dengie to Bradwell to see what energy and optimism can achieve.
3. The town of Burnham needs to be reminded that it is there because of the river: turning its back on the river is against nature
4. We need more diversity of riverscape, not less.

If you've read this far and support our goals, please write to Maldon Council via their planning website, and contact us via maritimeburnham@gmail.com.

By way of declaring personal interest we live directly next to the site (it's in our Front Yard, not our Back Yard), as well as being Prior's customers.

All best from a murky B-o-C

Ed

 

[Tomahawk]

What you are dealing with is the hypocrites from BROOD and the CPRE as well as the bug huggers.
Between them they have created the notion that land should not be built on unless someone had previously built on it. Result.. a housing shortage that puts up the price of housing to the point where a housing development is worth three or four times the value of a boatyard of engineering works.

Then there is immigration, and divorce and people living longer adding to the demand for more housing. All in all it's a perfect storm.

 

[Dan Tribe]

This is very encouraging news, that there is a possible answer to the problems of Burnham's yachting scene.
This yard is the last remnant of traditional yacht industry remaining within the town footprint and it's demise would be a sad day for Burnham and also for the history of East coast yachting.
I have been a customer of Priors for many years and have cherished the unique nature of the business.
All my best wishes for the success of your enterprise. I hope I may be of some practical service towards the outcome.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I fear you may not have much success with your proposals. Much the same happened here in Woodbridge with Whisstocks
old boatyard. This lay open for many years with all sorts of proposals on the table. Eventually it has become a housing development with a cafe and the only memory of boating will be a replica longboat to mirror that at Sutton Hoo although that has a way to go yet. I wish you well with your efforts .

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Really hope that you can sort out an indoor accommodation for yacht projects .Its such a rare thing these days .
Small boat yards offering low cost solutions to yacht maintainance are still needed in so many parts of the East Coast .
Priors direction may well have changed for financial reasons ,but the requirement is still there .Good luck .

 

[shaunksb]

I don't really get this.

It's an old shed.

In fact it's an ugly old shed which spoils a nice line of riverside accommodation. Accommodation that is about as sustainable as you can get being a two minute walk to the town.

You apparently know the Priors business better than they do as they have cash reserves of £378k according to you website. In fact they haven't. The latest figures for 2016 are around £237k and a few years ago they were around £450k.
Notice a trend?

The last thing any UK town needs now is more retail space. Something called the Internet has decimated town centres.

However apparently the SE is crying out for more housing.

You intend to buy the sheds so that Priors could sub let it to customers. Has that been thought through?

In fact is there any similar business setup in the UK at all? Never mind one that works.

I fear you will need more than enthusiasm and a new set of patio doors to make your project workable and while you faff about with it real jobs and real lively hoods will be lost.

________________________

 

[Tomahawk]

It has a slipway and access to the river.
The slug huggers have managed to designate evey inch of every east coast river as a special place for their hobby so that it is now impossible to build new slipways. As a result when a slipway is lost, access to the water is lost forever.

So between the conservationists and the nimbys, we are loosing our herritage.

 

[edmaggs]

I don't really get this.

It's an old shed.

In fact it's an ugly old shed which spoils a nice line of riverside accommodation. Accommodation that is about as sustainable as you can get being a two minute walk to the town.

You apparently know the Priors business better than they do as they have cash reserves of £378k according to you website. In fact they haven't. The latest figures for 2016 are around £237k and a few years ago they were around £450k.
Notice a trend?

The last thing any UK town needs now is more retail space. Something called the Internet has decimated town centres.

However apparently the SE is crying out for more housing.

You intend to buy the sheds so that Priors could sub let it to customers. Has that been thought through?

In fact is there any similar business setup in the UK at all? Never mind one that works.

I fear you will need more than enthusiasm and a new set of patio doors to make your project workable and while you faff about with it real jobs and real lively hoods will be lost.

________________________

Hi Shaun

You got me on the up to date accounts - that bit of the website was written before the company filed its last set of accounts. Although the information is in the pubic domain, I was uncomfortable posting it, for it feels like poking my nose in other people's business, but it did need to be pointed out that the company is financially sound, and has been run very carefully and conservatively. Since you highlight it, a significant amount of the reduction in cash was caused by an £85,000 pension contribution, and there must have been significant direct costs of marketing, with lawyers and architects and so on.

As to the sheds being ugly, that's very much a matter of opinion. I think they're a damn site more attractive than the identikit King's Wharf next to them, but I realise that's only my point of view. Personally, I really really like diversity in landscapes and waterfronts and people and townscapes, and anything that prevents everything looking the same is good.

And as to our "faffing around" costing real jobs, well I can't see your point at all. What we're doing is proposing a solution for Priors if they don't get residential planning permission, a solution which doesn't involve letting the building fall down and lets them achieve their stated goal of re-investment in the core business. If our plan came off it won't mean as much money as they would get for housing, but would certainly be enough to recharge the core business and maintain the employment there. We're very pleased that they're discussing things with us now: let's see how it goes.

Anyway, thanks for the comments. It's more interesting than everyone agreeing.

 

[Dan Tribe]

I don't really get this.

It's an old shed.

In fact it's an ugly old shed which spoils a nice line of riverside accommodation. Accommodation that is about as sustainable as you can get being a two minute walk to the town.

You apparently know the Priors business better than they do as they have cash reserves of £378k according to you website. In fact they haven't. The latest figures for 2016 are around £237k and a few years ago they were around £450k.
Notice a trend?

The last thing any UK town needs now is more retail space. Something called the Internet has decimated town centres.

However apparently the SE is crying out for more housing.

You intend to buy the sheds so that Priors could sub let it to customers. Has that been thought through?

In fact is there any similar business setup in the UK at all? Never mind one that works.

I fear you will need more than enthusiasm and a new set of patio doors to make your project workable and while you faff about with it real jobs and real lively hoods will be lost.

________________________

I'm not able to follow your logic very well.
Not so long ago Burnham relied on a thriving maritime industry and scores, if not hundreds of people were employed in yacht building, boat maintenance and fishing. In recent years at least a dozen marine businesses have closed and been replaced by blocks of flats or up market apartments, resulting in many livelihoods being lost. Bulding housing will give some short term employment for people from outside the town but very little ongoing work prospects.
What is your definition of "sustainable" housing development?
Does this proposal involve more retail space? That aspect escaped me.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I'm not able to follow your logic very well.
Not so long ago Burnham relied on a thriving maritime industry and scores, if not hundreds of people were employed in yacht building, boat maintenance and fishing. In recent years at least a dozen marine businesses have closed and been replaced by blocks of flats or up market apartments, resulting in many livelihoods being lost. Bulding housing will give some short term employment for people from outside the town but very little ongoing work prospects.
What is your definition of "sustainable" housing development?
Does this proposal involve more retail space? That aspect escaped me.

Not unique to B-o-C, you can say ditto for Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe, Rowhedge etc... In fact, 30 years ago Rowhedge quay was handling north of 300 movements a year... all it is now is a new housing estate

 

[edmaggs]

Not unique to B-o-C, you can say ditto for Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe, Rowhedge etc... In fact, 30 years ago Rowhedge quay was handling north of 300 movements a year... all it is now is a new housing estate

It doesn't have to be that way: I think we can look at West Mersea and Maldon for examples of respectful treatment of rather fragile waterfronts.

 

[shaunksb]

We're very pleased that they're discussing things with us now: let's see how it goes.

Anyway, thanks for the comments. It's more interesting than everyone agreeing.

And thank you for the tone of your reasoned response.

I'm "new" to Burnham. I've just done my third year on a mooring at Priors. I have to admit that before that if you'd asked me to stick a pin on the map to show where Burnham was I would have failed.

I have become quite fond of the place. Enough to justify my 400 mile round trip from Stoke to the boat.

I can only say as an "outsider" the fact that the sheds were once used to build boats isn't a big draw to the town. If they had been used for something less romantic I'm sure they would have gone by now. I know it's all very subjective but they're just old sheds.

I worry about the message you and the wider community are sending to your children. "I'm sorry we have nowhere for you to live but never mind come and have a look at these old sheds..."

I worry about your business plan for the project too. Winter storage indoors is a very limited and a declining market and only lasts for 6 months. What income will sustain things for the rest of the year? How much of a premium will you have to charge to break even to cover the initial investment? I have never thought of using the sheds for winter storage partly because of the extra cost which can only go up can't it? I see no figures or projections that show how it can be sustainable.

I worry that if this isn't sustainable that at some future date the whole thing will be up in the air again. Only this time there might not be someone like Priors to invest in the business that is there. Contrary to what is portrayed in the website I think there is a very good base for a moorings based business that could grow with the benefit of some decent investment in the facilities. By decent investment I'm thinking of the money they would get if the land was sold for development.

Am I worrying too much?

____________________________

 

[pvb]

I worry about your business plan for the project too. Winter storage indoors is a very limited and a declining market and only lasts for 6 months. What income will sustain things for the rest of the year? How much of a premium will you have to charge to break even to cover the initial investment? I have never thought of using the sheds for winter storage partly because of the extra cost which can only go up can't it? I see no figures or projections that show how it can be sustainable.

I'm also sceptical that Maritime Burnham's plan is in any way achievable. Whenever it's suggested to dispense with bits of yesteryear with dubious value, community groups often spring up and start fundraising in order to buy the relics and "restore them to their former glory". Such plans invariably include coffee shops, which seem to be regarded as instant generators of wealth.

I'm reminded of the similar plan to buy the dilapidated pier at Shotley. Over a year ago, a community group was formed to buy it and restore it. They reckoned they needed £350K (which I imagine was a low estimate of the real cost). They launched a website, held public meetings, got on the news, flooded social media, and have managed to raise about £90K so far. Finding the balance will be very very difficult, and will take time, during which the pier will continue to deteriorate and the amount needed to fix it will continue to grow. I'd be surprised if the project ever succeeds.

 

[PaulRainbow]

<snip>

I'm reminded of the similar plan to buy the dilapidated pier at Shotley. Over a year ago, a community group was formed to buy it and restore it. They reckoned they needed £350K (which I imagine was a low estimate of the real cost). They launched a website, held public meetings, got on the news, flooded social media, and have managed to raise about £90K so far. Finding the balance will be very very difficult, and will take time, during which the pier will continue to deteriorate and the amount needed to fix it will continue to grow. I'd be surprised if the project ever succeeds.

Couldn't agree more. If, by some miracle they did get it done, what on Earth use is it ?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

And thank you for the tone of your reasoned response.

I

I worry about your business plan for the project too. Winter storage indoors is a very limited and a declining market and only lasts for 6 months. What income will sustain things for the rest of the year? How much of a premium will you have to charge to break even to cover the initial investment? I have never thought of using the sheds for winter storage partly because of the extra cost which can only go up can't it? I see no figures or projections that show how it can be sustainable.

I worry that if this isn't sustainable that at some future date the whole thing will be up in the air again. Only this time there might not be someone like Priors to invest in the business that is there. Contrary to what is portrayed in the website I think there is a very good base for a moorings based business that could grow with the benefit of some decent investment in the facilities. By decent investment I'm thinking of the money they would get if the land was sold for development.

Am I worrying too much?

____________________________

WHen I was at James Watt Dock, the marina there had the use of some vast old warehouses, which will one day be redeveloped. As they are "heritage" buildings (and structurally sound), the shell will be preserved. However, at present they are used as undercover storage and working space by the marina. They are full the whole year round; if there aren't enough boats, people pay for them to be used for caravans or anything else that might need to be worked on undercover. Providing undercover working space is viable year round, if you are prepared to go beyond the highly seasonal yachting market. However, whether people will pay the rate required to make them an economic proposition is another matter; I'd guess it depends where you are and whether there are local farmers willing to rent out an unused barn - more likely near Burnham than Greenock, I think!

 

[shaunksb]

However, whether people will pay the rate required to make them an economic proposition is another matter;

My point exactly.

Partly because of where Burnham is and the possible pool of potential customers I can only see them being used if they were "cheap" and they won't be cheap if someone has to invest in their redevelopment.

_______________________________

 

[edmaggs]

We know that people will call us dreamers, and we need to be hard-nosed about the project. Most of Maritime Burnham's initial backers are wooden-boat owners, and this gives us a certain background of reality-checking - we've all seen people make arses of themselves with big old cheap old wooden boats, and I dare say we could do the same thing with a big old wooden shed.

We've just had a very good (by which I mean thorough) structural survey done and are now costing the remedial work that needs doing. The first stage of the business plan is to buy and stabilise the building in its current form as a simple skin to keep the rain off the boats, and continue in its present use, as storage for boats from Priors yard, and for third party users if there is capacity. We have a guesstimate of how much income that will produce, which we believe will cover maintenance and insurance. Priors had no shortage of customers willing to pay, and the shed was full every winter until a couple of years ago, when Priors began turning business away. One of their arguments for the shed being redundant is the claim that moving boats along the High Street is not practical any more, and they also hint that it's not legal. I'm not sure about that at all: yards all over the country and Europe do this, though it would doubtless be nice if the re-investment in the yard included a brand new secondhand hydraulic trolley, rather than the endearingly stone-age screws and wedges of current practice.

We are keen, in this first phase, to include some transparent sections in the cladding on the sea-front side, so that pedestrians can begin to get an idea of what goes on in there - for anyone with even a latent interest in boats, it creates a wonderful picture of boats at rest. One of my pet peeves about Burnham is the separation between town and river, and anything that breaks down that barrier is to be encouraged.

The second phase, of leisure uses on the seaward side of the small shed - think catering, retail, and general salty tourist-wrangling activity, is more speculative and uncosted. We would need to be extremely conservative about this, for it is no Aldeburgh or Southwold. One of the things I like about Burnham is that it's "just nice enough", and it's all the better for that. It's not a celebrated destination town and if it goes up in the world, it will only do so relatively slowly. As to "where Burnham is" I think the fact that the yard is in the middle of a nice town is a great advantage to it. Bradwell, Levington and so on are nice places but effectively in the middle of nowhere.

Like many things in "business" (and I hate to use the word in this context), you can do a lot more if you don't need to deliver a high return on investment, or to pay for your money. Priors themselves have proved this, by being so well and cautiously run over the years. If you pay no debt, no rent, and have no demanding external shareholders, you can do a lot more than if you do. Our members so far understand that there will not be a quick return.

As for the housing need in Britain, I think this is a bit of a red herring in this context. The housing crisis is most intense for young people, and these houses wouldn't help much with that.

 

[pvb]

Wooden boat owners are surely renowned for being dreamers! Isn't the reality that the number of wooden boats is steadily decreasing, and owners are reluctant to pay the excessive costs involved in the Victorian process of dragging boats around the High Street to get in and out of the shed? It's time to move on. There's a number of modern and attractive new houses on the waterfront; the 7 proposed houses would fit in well.

I'd imagine the sheds are worth £750K+ as a residential site, and sooner or later Mr Prior should get planning permission. If I were him, I'd sit tight for a while.

 

[edmaggs]

Wooden boats declining?

I wonder if it’s a bit more nuanced than that? For instance, what east coast regatta regularly gets 60 big boats? It’s an easy question because I think there’s only one of them - Jonathan Dyke’s wonderful Suffolk Yacht Harbour classic regatta. It’s full of dreamers, and what dreams! Jonathan himself is one of them, as well as a good businessman, and look what his dreams have produced.

How many east coast boatbuilders have matched Spirit’s production over the last 20 years or so? They were wooden the last time I looked (and don’t go all composite on me).

Not that I’m saying things are easy. They’re not in any walk of life.

There’s something a bit wrong with Burnham sailing at the moment but saying it’s dead can become a self fulfilling prophecy.

In any case a good proportion of the Maltings boats have been GRP and there was no shortage of boat owners willing to pay their (rather reasonable) rates.

 

[pvb]

In any case a good proportion of the Maltings boats have been GRP and there was no shortage of boat owners willing to pay their (rather reasonable) rates.

So, if you manage to raise enough money, and if you manage to buy the sheds, and if you manage to repair them (which the surveyors seem to think isn't economically viable in itself), and if you manage to persuade Priors to keep transporting the boats to the shed (which they may decline to do on H&S grounds), will you still be charging reasonable storage rates? Oh, and will these reasonable rates provide sufficient return for your investors?