Consultation has opened for a marine licence application needed for plans to replace berth 4/5 at Ramsgate Port.
The application was submitted to the Marine Management Organisation in January by Thanet council for the replacement of the aggregate Berth at the port.
Floating Berth 4/5 transfers aggregates from ship to shore but the existing berth was decommissioned in November 2020 when Thanet council said it needed to be removed “as a matter of urgency.”
Brett Aggregates, which uses the berth, is currently bringing gravels in by road to the site at the Port of Ramsgate
An earlier marine licence application was withdrawn in November 2021 following advice from Thanet council in October 2020 due to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) needing to be undertaken.
The revised application includes an Environmental Statement (ES).
The application has now been validated and is available to view on the Marine Management Organisation’s website – case reference MLA/2022/00040. The application is now subject to a 28 day consultation period.
Comments can be made online. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or write to Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH.
Correspondence must be received within 28 days of the date of the first notice (13 April 2022). Please ensure you quote the case reference and include an address to which correspondence relating to the representation or objection may be sent.
The Marine Management Organisation will pass a copy of any objection or representation it receives to the council.
If approved, on-site preparatory work is expected to start at the end of May with marine works starting in June.
The allocation for the project has increased from an original £1.497 million budget to £2.322million.
The possible rise in cost was blamed on the “unanticipated delay” due to the need for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be undertaken for planning and marine licence consents.
The council says it has a contractual obligation with Brett Aggregates to provide a berth for the handling of aggregates and a tender was awarded to Bam Nuttall in 2020 for the replacement of the berth, using one of the pontoons that was formerly part of a two-for-one deal rejected by councillors in December 2019.
A report to councillors in July last year asked for approval of the further costs, saying: “The delay in progressing and completing the project has directly impacted upon the overall scheme cost. The additional costs (over and above the approved £1.497m budget value) as a result of the delay are estimated at £825k, bringing the revised total estimated costs to £2.322m.”
The replacement pontoon will mean there is capability for greater capacity for the aggregate conveyor belt. The old berth supported a 400 tonne per hour conveyor belt and was capable of docking 90m vessels.
The new berth will be fitted with a permanently fixed 3,000 tonne/hour conveyor… “to facilitate future expansion for the landing of bulk cargos, the trafficking of mobile plant and with a lifespan of a minimum of 30 years.” It will be capable of docking 120m vessels.
Brett Aggregates is not obliged to pay for any repairs but Thanet council would seek contributions for enhancements. The aggregates firm does not have exclusive use of berths 4 / 5 but would be responsible for providing the conveyor.
