Regeneration of Stalham Staithe complete and new mooring open
Following much-needed repairs to the crumbling parts of the Staithe in 2018, it has undergone a full refurbishment thanks to a collaborative project between the Broads Authority, Norfolk County Council and Stalham Town Council.
The work (which took place over the winter and spring) created a new footpath, mooring posts, safety ladders, plus additional safety features necessary for the site to operate as a Broads Authority 24-hour mooring location. This has seen the site transformed into a safe waterside environment for local residents, boaters and tourists to enjoy.
From Wednesday 12 August, the Staithe mooring in Stalham will be the newest Broads Authority 24-hour free mooring site. This small mooring has space for approximately 6 vessels and is a 5-minute walk from the town centre’s shops, pub and other amenities.
The site is of local historical and architectural significance and forms part of a conservation area. At least three wherries (traditional trading vessels) were built here and many others traded grain, crops, coal and fertiliser. The Old Granary (now a private house) operated as a wherry granary, with the river running underneath the building, to allow wherries to load and unload grain through hatches.
Broads Authority Director of Operations, Rob Rogers said of the project,
“The hard work over the last few years of staff at the Broads Authority and partners has finally come to fruition and we are delighted with the results. This partnership project is a great demonstration of what can be achieved when organisations work collaboratively.”
The site had fallen into disrepair because no Land Registry records were in existence to identify who should take responsibility for the site’s repair work and regeneration. The Town Council, supported by Norfolk County Council have registered the Staithe as Stalham Town Council land, to secure the area for the local community and to provide them with legal guardianship of the site.
The Town Council, last week, received the title deeds from Land Registry, making the Staithe an official Town asset, meaning that the Town Council can enter into a legal agreement to allow the Broads Authority to manage the Staithe. This will see the full bylaws of the Authority applying to the Staithe and will initiate measures to address overstaying, and other safety issues which are of concern to local residents.
Rob Rogers would like to thank Susan Wellerd (Stalham Town Council Clerk) who has been instrumental in bringing improvements to the Staithe and to Local Councillor, Mr Nigel Dixon (Norfolk County Council) who helped secure community funding. This project is the result of great research, open discussions and the sharing of resources to bring Stalham Staithe back to life, which will bring boating visitors into the heart of the market town.
Wednesday 12 August 2020