Great Yarmouth

Policy POGTY1: Marina Quays (Port of Yarmouth Marina)

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  1. The use of this site for river and other leisure users, or appropriate redevelopment, will be encouraged where this is compatible with the flood risk to the site (and proposals may need to be accompanied by a site-specific flood risk assessment).
  2. Careful consideration will be given to the design, scale and layout of any redevelopment, including any associated lighting (in line with policy PODM27), its potential additional impacts on nearby residents and setting of the Halvergate Marshes Conservation Area, and its role as a landscape buffer between the Bure Park and more urban areas.
  3. Any boatyard/marina uses will need to address risks to the natural environment, including disturbance and water pollution in relation to Habitat Sites.
  4. An archaeological assessment may be required as part of any application.
  5. Depending on the details of the scheme, it may need to provide biodiversity net gain (in line with policy PODM15) and mitigate recreation impacts (through the GI RAMS tariff or equivalent mitigation).
  6. Proposals for electric hook up points for moored boats will only be supported if any associated lighting is kept to a minimum.

Constraints and features

  • River frontage with riverside footpath passing through.
  • Current access to the mooring frontage does not meet modern Health and Safety requirements.
  • Adjacent to Bure Park.
  • Petrol station and main road (Caister Road) adjacent.
  • Flood risk zone 3 by EA mapping and part 2 and indicative 3b by SFRA 2017 mapping.
  • Some areas of the river are not the required depth for safe mooring and dredging is likely to be required. Dredging immediately in front of the Quay heading would be the responsibility of the landowner or operator. Discussions with the Broads Authority, to obtain a works licence, would be required.
  • River in this area is tidal and water flow can be quite fast.
  • Halvergate Marshes Conservation Area over the river.
  • Adjacent to the extended Outer Thames Estuary SPA.
  • Close to several World War Two sites, including the site of an anti-aircraft battery. Potential for archaeological remains associated with these sites and the use of the adjacent River Bure.

Reasoned Justification

The marina, public house and public toilets on this site have been demolished and the site cleared. The policy wording supports redevelopments which will bring the area back into use, while addressing the need to ensure appropriate regard is given to neighbouring uses and occupiers. Any such development would be subject to the Natural Environment policy PODM14 and required to demonstrate no likely adverse impact on the integrity of the Habitat Sites, including Breydon Water (which is designated as both an SPA and Ramsar). Indeed, given the edge of settlement location, lighting will be an important consideration.

This site has planning permission for development as follows, which has commenced:

  • BA/2018/0312/FUL | Full application for the erection of 8 residential dwellings, 1 mooring for Broads Authority use, 12 residential moorings, moorings allocated to dwellings, visitor moorings, the refurbishment of the marina building and associated car parking and landscaping on land.
  • BA/2020/0053/FUL | Demolition of former marina building & erection of 2 residential dwellings with parking & residential moorings.

The allocation for the site continues as the development has not yet been completed, although the schemes have commenced.

The Environment Agency advises that more recent evidence indicates the flood risk to the area is greater than that suggested by the Broads Strategic Flood Assessment. While this may limit the potential for other development, the continued use for boating and for outdoor leisure is likely to be compatible with flood risk policies. The EA also draws attention to this site in relation to the potential for water pollution from boatyard or industrial uses in waterside sites.

The policy highlights the need for the scheme to ensure Biodiversity Net Gain in line with policy PODM15. The scheme will also need to mitigate recreation impacts, and this is most easily done through paying the GI RAMS tariff.

In terms of Nutrient Neutrality, the Broads Authority consider that the sites itself is outside of the Broads SAC catchment and this scheme’s foul water would drain to a Water Recycling Centre that is not within the Broads SAC catchment and so does not need to mitigate for Phosphate or Nitrates.

Reasonable alternative options

Another option would be to not have a policy and not allocate the site, but this site has planning permission and so that is not deemed a reasonable alternative. The amendments to the original policy are factual.

Sustainability appraisal summary

The following is a summary of the assessment of the policy and alternative(s).

A: Preferred Option: 7 positives. 0 negatives. 0 ?

How has the existing policy been used since adoption in May 2019?

According to recent Annual Monitoring Reports, the policy was used, and the application was in conformity with the policy.

Why has the alternative option been discounted?

The changes relating to numbers, BNG, GI RAMS and NN are factual.

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