Plans for a £7.6m project aimed at bringing ferry operations back to Ramsgate Port as part of the town’s £19.8m Levelling Up programme are likely to be ditched.
The Ramsgate Port and infrastructure project, which was to include the refurbishment of berths 2 and 3, and land based works needed to support ro-ro ferry operations, , failed to attract an operator when it was put out for procurement in August 2024.
The operator would have been responsible for running a substantial part of the Port of Ramsgate, including 17.8 acres of port land and the two roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry berths.
Initially £3.5 million was allocated for improved port infrastructure but an additional £4.12m funding was transferred to the scheme last year following a report to councillors outlining how port infrastructure work is likely to need £14m, far exceeding the £3.5 allocation for site clearance and remediation; improved breakwater and new berthing infrastructure.
The additional funding was taken from projects to improve fishing facilities and funds set aside for an overnight accommodation project at the Sailors’ Church/Smack Boys Home.
A grant of £4.5m was to be made available to the prospective concessionaire, as a contribution to the delivery of works at the Port.
But now Cabinet members will consider a proposal not to progress the project and also to reallocate the funding to other schemes in the programme.
Thanet council has been exploring other options to support the Port concession contract route, including seeking additional funding from the government to increase the value of the £4.5m grant. Costs for a new concession operator to get the port ready are anticipated to be in the region of £14.8m.
However, additional funding has not yet been secured and Thanet council says that given the significant time constraints imposed as part of the government funding requirements – with delivery of the regeneration projects originally due by March 2026- carrying on with the project as part of the Levelling Up (Pathfinder) scheme is not viable.
Council Leader, Cllr Rick Everitt said: “Identifying a long-term sustainable future for Ramsgate Port remains a key objective for the council. Although the timescales associated with the Pathfinder Programme mean we can’t continue to progress the project within this funding stream, there remains a strong strategic case for the Port of Ramsgate.
“There has been, and continues to be, wider interest in the future potential. The challenge is that as a small district council we can’t deliver the infrastructure required. “It’s too big for the council alone. If we don’t intervene then the opportunity will be lost not only for Thanet, but also for the country.
“There is no ‘do-nothing’ option and in my view this means we must now look at alternative uses for the site, alongside other potential ways of renewing the port infrastructure. But we can’t risk losing £7.6m of funding for Ramsgate, so we have to take the concession project off the table.
“Should the proposals be agreed by Cabinet, officers will work up detailed options for the potential next steps with a further report to come to Cabinet later this year.”
The Cabinet meeting will take place on June 26.
On behalf of Thanet Green Group, Cllr Tricia Austin said: “We had severe doubts about this plan from the start, but it gives us no pleasure to say ‘we told you so’. We feel very sorry for officers who have put in so much time & effort trying to make this project work for both the current and the previous administrations. We are, however, pleased that Cllr Wing will now not have to eat her hat, as she promised if we did manage to restart ferry services in Ramsgate!
“We now need all groups on TDC to work together to agree a way forward, though sadly that will not be simple, with expensive legalities to go through if we wish to deregister the port and consider other uses. We will be pushing for local residents & businesses to be consulted and their views & experience taken on board.
“Meanwhile, we hope to see a renewed focus on the other Pathfinder projects. Residents know work has been going on behind the scenes, but they now quite rightly expect to start seeing spades in the ground, and to have definite start & end dates confirmed for the remaining projects.”
Extension request
The council has also asked the government for a 12 month extension to deliver the remainder of the Pathfinder programme. Following detailed discussion, it is anticipated that this request will be approved, which would move the deadline for projects to March 2027.
Thanet council says this is an issue other Local Authorities are also facing. Work on a number of projects will start on site this year, alongside the Newington Community Centre extension and refurbishment which has already started.
Cabinet members are also expected to approve the reallocation of the £7.6m funding to other existing projects within the Pathfinder programme.
The proposed reallocation is £2m to the Green Campus; £1,7m for the Clock House; £2m for harbour placemaking; £585k Broad Street and £100,000 for fishing fleet facilities plus £1,247,603 contingency funds.
Cllr Everitt said: “Since responding to the government’s call out for projects as part of the Future High Street Fund in 2019, Thanet has been successfully awarded over £50m in regeneration funding. This is an exceptional achievement and it is critical we deliver this programme.
“This has proven particularly challenging in Ramsgate due to the very short timescale the council was given to design new projects for the funding bid in 2021, as well as the difficult economic environment since the award was confirmed.
“However, the need to consider reallocating the £7.6m provides an important opportunity to ensure that the valuable benefits of these projects for the town and the wider community in terms of jobs and growth can be delivered to the maximum extent possible.”
The reports will be reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel on Tuesday 17 June, prior to the Cabinet meeting.
Ramsgate Clock House
The refurbishment of the Ramsgate Clock House was included as part of the original Ramsgate Levelling Up Fund submission. The scheme aims to refurbish the Grade II* Listed structure, creating a heritage centre for the town and a new café.
The original project was based on a successful Heritage Lottery Fund bid. As this was ultimately unsuccessful, the scheme has undergone a number of changes. It will include a café to the side of the Clock House. The ambition is for it to support the sustainability of the Heritage Hub, by providing a small income for the maintenance of the building.
The project had £3.36m allocated to refurbishing the building and creating a heritage hub for the town.
Since the Clock House building was returned to the council in November 2023, the electrical wiring has been upgraded and made safe, and urgent repairs to the stonework facades completed.
A planning application was submitted in February for the Grade II* Listed building to be refurbished to provide the heritage and community space and new café.
Ramsgate Pier Yard and Highways works (placemaking)
The Pier Yard scheme was part of the original Ramsgate Levelling Up Fund submission and the Highways works was part of the Future High Street Fund bid.
The two schemes have been combined to benefit from one construction contractor and programme
In the Pier Yard car park, the scheme aims to remove the parking and create a public square.
The aim of the highway works is to improve the roundabout and crossing points along Harbour Parade, Military Road and Royal Parade and improve connectivity between the town centre and harbour areas.
Ramsgate Green Campus
The Green Campus scheme was awarded funding as part of the Levelling Up Fund. The original scheme anticipated a level of match-funding from the private sector. This has not been forthcoming.
The design is now for a phased scheme with a budget of £6,101,350.
The first phase includes two buildings; a public-facing central core for the Green Campus, with café, conference and meeting facilities, and the first workspace block, to support small and new maritime businesses, as well as provide education opportunities.
Facilities for the Fishing Industry
The project is for quayside fishing facilities at the Royal Harbour, to support the growth and resilience of the Ramsgate’s fishing community.
The original allocation of grant to this project was £3.918m but this was reduced last year with funding moved to the Ramsgate Port and infrastructure project. It is now proposed to move £100k back to the scheme in addition to the £100k already allocated.
The original plan was to create a site for the local fishing fleet where they could unload, freeze, store and process their catch. With the ability to process fish and seafood on site the fishing fleet would have been able to increase their income from each catch.
A scheme was developed jointly with the Thanet Fishermen’s Association (TFA). During Autumn 2023, following a period of engagement with the council, design team and the TFA on size and design of the facility, the TFA confirmed that their members were unable to financially commit to the maintenance and operation of a new facility, given the current state of decline in the fishing industry in Ramsgate.
Thanet council says the TFA then put forward proposals for smaller scale improvements including better refrigeration, ice making facilities and fencing.
Thanet regeneration projects
Thanet’s regeneration projects all come under a £51m scheme across programmes – Margate Town Deal £22.2m; Ramsgate Levelling Up £19.8m; Margate Levelling Up £6.3m and Future High Street Fund £2.7m.
In March 2021, Margate was allocated up to £22.2m of government funding through the Town Deal. The funding has been allocated to projects in the town with a focus on creating jobs, supporting the town centre, boosting businesses and connecting people to where they live and work either through infrastructure or digital technologies.
In October 2021, the government confirmed two bids to the Levelling Up Fund had been successful; one bid for Ramsgate (£19.8m) and one bid for Margate (£6.3m).
The bid for Ramsgate was made up of three components: the Port, the Royal Harbour and Assets to Connect with Opportunities. The bid for Margate focused on the MargateDigital project.
In July 2023, the government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) invited 10 local authorities across England to pilot a new approach to funding delivery called the Simplification Pathfinder Pilot. Thanet District Council was one of the authorities selected to take part.
