Thanet council will now consider future plans for Ramsgate Port after an exercise to find an operator to run 17.8 acres of port land and two roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry berths came up empty-handed.
The plans for Ramsgate Port form part of a £19.8m Levelling Up programme granted by government in October 2021.
The aim was for £3.5m of that funding to be used for site clearance and remediation; improved breakwater and new berthing infrastructure to allow the site to come back into use for passenger services to Europe and provision of facilities for UK Border Force.
The final sum allocated was £7.6m after an additional £4.12m was moved to the port infrastructure scheme from projects to improve fishing facilities and funds set aside for an overnight accommodation at the Sailors’ Church/Smack Boys Home.
But failure to secure an operator for that part of a multi-purpose port, allowing the existing wind farm and aggregates operations to continue alongside a new cross channel port operator and the planned Green Campus building – which is facing its own operator search issues– may mean Thanet council has to look for a Plan B.
The issue of a back up plan was raised in July and again last month by members of the Regeneration Partnership Board, set up to provide the council with oversight on the delivery of the £51m regeneration projects for Ramsgate Levelling Up, Margate Levelling Up, Margate Town Deal and Future High Street Fund.
At the July meeting there was discussion about the port being at risk, and the challenge that would arise if an operator wasn’t forthcoming.
It was suggested both a Plan A and Plan B were needed.
Council chief exec Colin Carmichael told the board that the council was doing design work around a Plan B while TDC officer Louise Askew said a Plan B would need to fit with investment linked to the maritime and green sectors in order to fit with the Levelling Up bid that was approved.
She added: “We are not able to develop new projects – these would need a formal business case and to be approved by government.”
Board member Brian Horton said: “ I think we generally on the whole support the plan, however we don’t want to miss an opportunity to use that money in the town.
“From my understanding the consensus is, if we don’t find the right organisation, how do we respond to that.
“We support what’s been suggested and we just want the council to have Plan A and B, which is communicated effectively.”
At a meeting last month board members were told cost reports and tenders were returning construction prices of at least 25% over what was expected for regeneration projects and board member Frank Martin again raised the issue of when members could see Plan B for the port infrastructure scheme.
Louise Askew told members a design team had completed a high level scoping of the land on the basis of knowledge of organisations interested in being at the port (all maritime based).
Proposals to bring ferry services back to Ramsgate Port using Levelling Up funds date back to 2021 when bids were made, and were successful, for the government funding.
However, other options for the port have also been floated.
In 2018 consultants Marine Development Limited offered to carry out an appraisal of how a marina village could be created at Ramsgate Port and harbour.
Their study would have looked at options for operational integration of the Royal Harbour and a marina village, accommodating larger yachts, creating a berth for small cruise ships, the possible repositioning of the Royal Harbour based fishing fleet; wind farm support vessels; pilot services and associated support services. Also included was a suggestion for the creation of a hotel and conference centre surrounded by retail outlets, artisan workshops and markets.
In its brief MDL also said it could examine ideas for a yacht support service centre possibly incorporating a marine academy and maximising public spaces to give easy access to visitors and residents.
However, this appraisal did not take place.
In 2019 Thanet council invited tenders to carry out a feasibility study on Ramsgate Port and harbour. It followed the decision to ditch £500,000 funding to keep Ramsgate port in readiness for a ferry operation and axe a further £130,000, totalling £630,000 (or £730,000 in a full year) from port spending, in the wake of the saga of Seaborne Freight proposals for a Ramsgate/Ostend ferry service which, in December 2018, saw the firm awarded a £13.8 million government contract for extra ‘Brexit-resilience’ crossings despite having no ferries and no company track record.
The government ditched the deal in February 2019 after saying backers for Seaborne had pulled out.
In February 2020 a report examining possible future uses for Ramsgate port and harbour suggested reviving the hotel and conference centre plan for the Smack Boys Home building and creating industrial zones, waterfront homes, retail and themed leisure facilities.
The study was carried out by consultant WSP who were tasked with looking at ideas including a hotel and conference centre, berthing for small cruise ships, waterfront homes and the possibility of a maritime village.
The report said: “The council’s Masterplanning Exercise should focus on a mixed-use development in order to derive the maximum possible benefits from the site. It is likely that this will include a complementary combination of options from commercial, residential, and leisure sectors.”
WSP said plans previously put forward to convert the Smack Boys Building into a hotel and events space “are likely to benefit the ambience of the area and provide a link between industrial/commercial zones and the Royal Harbour, arches retailing, and town centre.”
They also advised retaining commercial port functions so “ro-ro operations can be accommodated on a significantly condensed footprint compared to current operations.” A single berth was suggested.
The report said industrial zones should be prioritised to retain employment land and the scope to deliver a significant jobs boost to the area with a focus on “specialist recycling centres, bespoke design studios, and 3D print facilities.”
The consultants added that residential dwellings were likely to deliver the largest benefits when on a plot overlooking the Royal Harbour. Ideas for a maritime village development looked at mixed use development with waterfront homes -possibly apartments – shops, restaurants and cafes and commercial units.
Themed leisure uses were also suggested such as a theme park, aquarium, or water sports centre on the land currently occupied by the commercial port. The study also said Brett Aggregate operations should remain in place for the duration of the company’s lease.
Nine zones were suggested by WSP:
Zone 1 – Industrial/Commercial Developments
Creating an industrial part of the Ramsgate site would create jobs and opportunities in the area. The options selected have the possibility to bring a diverse range of employment opportunities which can expand to new areas benefitting wider area, both economically and socially.
Zone 2 – Commercial Port Developments
The prioritisation of RoRo as the sole commercial port target user builds on an already established business. Other cargo types would be reliant on opportunistic trade volumes and require necessary port infrastructure including; alongside quay, mobile cranes, and storage/warehousing. The latter requires further space on the site which will necessarily detract from other suggested options Primary port operations are to increase through added services and investment, this will have some consequence for alternative facilities but will not overwhelm planned residential and industrial activity.
Zone 3 – Renewables / Education Facility Developments
The established renewable section of the port is a consistent and low maintenance source of revenue. While currently operating under a fixed sum agreement, the sector is evolving, thus offering the potential for Thanet District Council work closely with its tenants to capitalise on developments and deliver further value added services to its incumbent customers. It is anticipated that any educational facilities would operate under similar conditions, in a nearby area of the site, potentially co-locating under circumstances which necessitate the
relocation of existing Renewables O&M facilities.
Zone 4 – Residential, Retail & Food & Beverage Developments
Residential developments satisfies the local housing market by increasing supply and contributing to a healthier supply demand balance. As per the councils plans to build 500 homes per year, it is valuable to contribute space and living area on the Ramsgate port site. Creating executive homes can also bring new demand for higher market retailing and marine activities, thus providing stimulus to the local economy.
Zones 5-9 – Marina Developments
The options available for the various zones will provide better utilisation to the port site as well as provide diversification of offerings at Ramsgate that can increase local economic and social benefits.
What next?
Following the unsuccessful search for a port operator Thanet council says it will continue to explore the options for establishing the concession and will renew discussions with government about potential funding opportunities now the procurement process has ended.
There will also be work to explore alternative options for other maritime sector opportunities.
A report on the situation will be brought to TDC Cabinet members in the coming months.
However, East Thanet MP Polly Billington said the search for a port operator should continue and she pledged to take the issue to the Transport Minister to see what more could be done.
She said: “I’m bitterly disappointed to hear that the search to find a new private operator for Ramsgate Port has proved unsuccessful. In my view, reopening the port remains the right priority for building a year-round economy, bringing good jobs to the area, and boosting economic activity in Ramsgate and across the South East.
“The search must continue, which is why my next step will be to write to the Minister responsible for ports to discuss what more can be done by the government to find a solution to bringing this important piece of local infrastructure back into action.”
Potted port operations history
Construction of the port started in 1979 with commercial activities beginning in the summer of 1981. The port expanded rapidly throughout the 1980s to meet the demand for cross channel services with three roll on roll off (ro-ro) berths serving vessel arrivals on a 24/7 basis.
For the first 17 years of operation the private company Port of Ramsgate Ltd operated the commercial port. In 1998 following the cessation of Duty Free concessions, the two ferry operators, Sally Ferries and Ostende Lines withdrew their cross channel services and the port operator, Port of Ramsgate Ltd, ceased trading. In that same year the Council took the decision to start operating the port directly.
The council successfully attracted a new operator, TransEuropa Ferries, which ran freight and car passenger services to Ostend for 15 years, until 2013 when it went bankrupt and left Thanet council with £3.4 million in unpaid berthing fees.
No ferry services have followed since the TransEuropa collapse despite multiple claims by Euroferries that they would operate from Ramsgate and the former government’s £13.8m contract award in 2018 to Seaborne Ferries for a ‘Brexit’ resilience ferry service – despite having no ferries.
Has contact been made with Dover Harbour Board to use the port of Ramsgate as a
satellite of Dover port and alleviating the queues and delays at high volume times like the summer get away?
Means nothing without ferry firms interested and ships available !
Every ferry operating in Dover is too big for Ramsgate
A maritime village would create jobs and year round tourism,… just saying!
(a) Extra parking for when the airport reopens (along with a shuttle bus service).
(b) An extension of Wetherspoons.
(c) Art.
The only things flying from the Manston land-bank will be pigs!
Having had the misfortune to visit Ramsgate yesterday, I’d say plan (b) is the most viable idea!
We have money allocated for regeneration of the Pier Yard, Clock House and local road redesign around the harbour area. Why is none of this happening?
Why is nothing ever actually done – while meetings and redesigns and amended plans pile up. Soon the government will want the money back because it might as well go to a town that will use it. And who can blame them.
Well done to all board members repeatedly asking about Plan B.
And could TDC kindly stop reminding us the LUF isn’t a pot of money we can spend on sweets, we know that, we know you can’t just magic up new projects, nor those outside the spirit of the bid.
However, what we would like is the money spending on what it was bid for, especially Pier Yard and the Maritime Museum.
TDC seems hell bent pursuing a ferry dream long over, or a green campus nobody is interested in.
It is mindblowing.
Am I right in thinking all cash from these government funding pots has to be spent by March next year ?
If so, their backs really are to the wall. Not just Ramsgate projects. The Margate High Street College project has gone nowhere and must be considered a £6m risk too.
This was a once in a generation opportunity to regenerate Thanet and it has been thrown down the toilet due to project optimism bias and sheer incompetence.
this is all connected to the new centre being built at manston , watch this space all will be revealed soon , its already cut and dried .
Seriously, folks… how about housing!? Take a look at what they’ve done in Rochester and Chatham, and London and Liverpool, etc.
And Folkestone!
Spot on. Lots of ex dock areas have been regenerated with housing
There is no need for more ferries from Europe. Dover can cope most of the time. Many European businesses do not trade with the UK anymore and many small UK businesses do not trade with the EU anymore due to cost and difficulty. Ramsgate is no longer a viable route for a ferry company unless it wants to throw money down a drain.
How much money is wasted on continuous planning reviews?
We need to bring back the hovercraft! So much quicker.
Or the Jetfoil or fastcraft to Oostende !
What about the worlds biggest Vape Shop / Barbers / Coffee Shop?
Having visited Ramsgate shops for the first time in about 18 months today, I’d say the place is beyond hope! What happened to all those new eateries that opened in Harbour Street, such as that excellent Polish cafe? And why isn’t anything done about the youths on scooters and bikes, riding on the pavements swearing at and intimidating pensioners? Even most of the charity shops seem to have given up. The seafront is lovely, and we had a nice meal while watching the sea in a restaurant on the groundfloor of the new Pleasurama buildings, but I’ll never again say that Margate is Britain’s worse High Street… Ramsgate, you are the weakest link – goodbye!
I’d love to know which part of Ramsgate Andrew, Phyllis and Rees go shopping, I really would. I foolishly believed them when they said how great it is – a mistake I’ll never ever make again. I’m completely scunnered by the place!
Goodbye.
Ramsgate.
So bad, even Martha can’t defend it.
Martha- are you moving out of Ramsgate?
TDC need to renegotiate the lease on the Crown Estate Land that was reclaimed. Once there is no third-party cost on an annual basis the development would become easier. There is a massive opportunity for Large Yacht servicing and bunkering if the swell can be ameliorated. The easy options all revolve around either taking everyone else’s toxic waste or rubbish or further wasting tax-payer’s money.