Bristol Docks Mooring Policy Jan 2008

C u l t u r e a n d L e i s u r e S e r v i c e s

CITY DOCKSMOORING

POLICY

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w w w . b r i s t o l . g o v . u k / b r i s t o l h a r b o u r

City Docks Mooring PolicyContents Page

1 Introduction 2

2 Background 2

3 Objectives of the Mooring Policy 2

4 Functions of the Floating Harbour 2(a) Commercial Port and Haven 2

(b) Water Sports 2

(c) Inland Waterway Terminus and Marinas 3

(d) Events Arena 3

(e) Visitor Attraction 3

(f) A Residential Resource 3

5 The Four Reaches of the Harbour 3(a) Cumberland Basin 3

(b) Water Activity Harbour 3

(c) The Harbour Arena Area 3

(d) The Upper Reaches 4

6 The Types of Mooring 4(a) Leisure Moorings 4

(i) Short-Term Licences 4(ii) Long-Term Licences 4

(b) Residential Moorings 5

(c) Commercial Moorings 6

(d) Courtesy and Historic Craft 7

(e) Operational Moorings/Facilities 8

7 Conclusion 8

Mooring plan 9

Underfall Yard Amphitheatre moorings during events

Introduction

1.1 This is a policy for managing the mooring of thedifferent vessels in the Floating Harbour, whichruns from Cumberland Basin in the west toNetham Lock in the east.

Background

2.1 Reflecting a national trend, there has beenincreasing demand for mooring space in theFloating Harbour, with more and more vesselswishing to be used for leisure, commercialpurposes and as living accommodation.Existing mooring opportunities are at capacityand further demand is anticipated. The cityhas promoted development around and on theharbour, which has placed an even greaterpremium on mooring space whilst at the sametime providing new opportunities formoorings.

Objectives of the Mooring Policy

3.1 The main objectives of the mooring policy areas follows:

(i) To clearly define criteria for the operation,management and planning requirements ofHarbour moorings and related quaysideuses, having due regard to local needs anddesires but taking into account theestablished policy of encouraging public useand enjoyment of the City Docks.

(ii) To continue to pursue the general policy ofpromoting the Floating Harbour as theregion’s main location for water-basedrecreation and leisure, taking into accountthe need for safe and easy access for allcitizens and visitors, with particular regardto those with mobility problems.

(iii) To secure the maintenance of andimprovements to water quality in the CityDocks.

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1 3.2 It is intended to achieve the above through amooring policy which clearly sets down a role forparticular stretches of the Floating Harbour anda set of guidelines for the types of moorings tobe permitted within them. The mooring policywill be principally administered by the Directorof Culture and Leisure Services, through the CityDocks Section, but will also have a widercorporate role in guiding and co-ordinating thework of the Property Services and of Planning,Transport and Development Services.

Functions of the Floating Harbour

4.1 The following paragraphs confirm the complexrange of roles which the Harbour performs andunderlines the need for a clear mooring policyas a foundation for its proper management.

(a) Commercial Port and Haven4.2 The only port-related commercial operations

remaining in the Harbour are ferry companiesrunning scheduled services, charter companieswho run tours around the waterway, and anumber of boat building and maintenanceorganisations dealing with repair andrestoration. Any other commercial activities donot involve the regular movement of vessels.

4.3 The city council, as Harbour Authority, is stilllegally obliged to maintain the Harbour asnavigable water. This requirement can only bechanged by an Act of Parliament. The retentionof navigation rights enables courtesy visitsincluding large seagoing vessels for recreationaland promotional events, consistent with theleisure role of the docks being promoted by thecouncil.

(b) Water Sports4.4 The use of the Harbour for water sports

recreation has increased, in particularwindsurfing and dinghy sailing, canoeing,rowing, water skiing, and angling. Such

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Sailing at Baltic Wharf Cabot Cruising Club moorings, Bathurst Basin


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activities do not demand mooring space but doconstrain the positioning of moorings and otheractivities in the water. Slipways and facilities forwater activities are located at Baltic Wharf,Albion Dockyard and Mardyke Wharf.

(c) Inland Waterway Terminus and Marinas4.5 The Floating Harbour has long been used by

inland waterway cruisers, and the number ofsuch vessels has increased with the completedrestoration of the Kennet and Avon Canal,providing a potential link to the Thamesbecause of the growth of marinas and leisureboating in the Bristol Channel and SevernEstuary. There is also a demand for moorings forsea-going leisure craft. This has led to theestablishment of managed serviced marinas atthe Albion Dockyard, Avon Quay (primarily ayacht brokerage) and marina style moorings onSt Augustine’s Reach, The Grove, Bathurst Basinand Redcliffe Backs. Further moorings are beingprovided as part of other major developmentsat Harbourside, Welsh Back, Temple Quay andRedcliffe Wharf.

(d) Events Arena4.6 The city council promotes the use of the

Floating Harbour for a number of prestigiousnational and local waterborne events, some ofwhich may require the removal of virtually allmoored vessels in the Harbour west of RedcliffeBridge. Clearly such a fundamentalrequirement, incorporating as it does the needto provide alternative serviced berths elsewherein the docks for some categories of user, has asignificant effect on mooring policy.

(e) Visitor Attraction4.7 In addition to prestigious water-based events,

the Harbour area makes a considerablecontribution to the city’s tourist economy as wellas being a valuable recreational resource forlocal people. The city council has for several

years been developing and promoting the“Historical Harbour” through a range of visitorfacilities with a maritime heritage theme. Aspart of this promotion, the mooring of vessels ofhistoric interest will continue to be encouraged.

(f) A Residential Resource4.8 There has been a growing demand from people

for moorings for residential craft. At the presenttime, demand continues to exceed the supply ofadequately serviced berths. Vessels of this typecan contribute to the vitality and interest of theharbour. However, these limited opportunitiesfor residential vessels have to be managedcarefully and sensitively.

The Four Reaches of the Harbour

5.1 The Floating Harbour can be divided intodistinct areas, each with a particular characterand function. These are identified within thisdocument. They are:

(a) Cumberland Basin5.2 At the western end of the dock complex is

Cumberland Basin which is part of the entrancesystem. It is kept clear of all moored craft foroperational reasons. It is periodically scoured atlow tide to remove silt.

(b) Water Activity Harbour5.3 This area stretches from the Underfall Yard to

the Graving Dock (Albion Dockyard). It isintended that this part of the Harbourcontinues to be used for water sports and activerecreation. To minimise hazards to users and tomaximise free areas of water, only very limitedmooring will be allowed here.

(c) The Harbour Arena5.4 The Harbour Arena stretches from the ss Great

Britain to Redcliffe Bridge, including StAugustine’s Reach. Its role as the hub of activityand interest in the the Harbour will beconsolidated. Most major public events

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Marina style moorings at St Augustine’s Reach Vessels of historical interest


continue to be centred here. Consequently anyvessels moored in this area may be liable tooccasional relocation. There can be noguarantee of relocation to a serviced berth forthe duration of the event. Similar constraintscan apply to vessels moored immediately to theeast of Prince Street Bridge.

(d) The Upper Reaches5.5 This area of the Harbour stretches from

Redcliffe Bridge to the Netham Lock andaccommodates a mix of leisure, residential andcommercial moorings. Commercial mooringsare generally located between Prince Street andBristol Bridge, although commercial mooringscan be accommodated above Bristol Bridgesubject to navigational restrictions imposed bythe height of its central arch.

The Types of Moorings

6.1 The classification for moorings in the FloatingHarbour are as follows:(a) Leisure moorings

(b) Residential moorings

(c) Commercial moorings

(d) Courtesy and historic craft

(e) Operational moorings

Each one is discussed in detail below. Thedistribution of moorings in the Harbour isshown on the plan on pages 9 and 10.

(a) Leisure Moorings6.2 The provision of mooring for leisure craft

(mostly smaller craft used by private individualsfor their own recreation) is a vital part of therecreational use of the Floating Harbour. Leisuremoorings are provided in a variety of locationsin order to allow operational and managerialflexibility. This allows the ability to cater forvarying demand for such moorings during theyear.

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6.3 Bristol Marina is privately operated, located inthe Harbour at Albion Dockyard. Major groupedmoorings are also located at Bathurst Basin, OldJunction Lock, Redcliffe Backs, the Grove and StAugustine’s Reach. As stated earlier, new marinastyle moorings will be provided as part ofdevelopments at Harbourside, Redcliffe Wharf,Temple Back and Temple Quay. Licences aregranted to individual leisure craft for differentlengths of stay as follows:

(i) Short-Term LicencesIt is anticipated that this form of licence willaccommodate the majority of leisure craftwhich visit the Harbour. Craft will be licensed tostay for periods of up to 30 days. As it is nowpossible for craft to reach the City Docks fromany part of the Kennet and Avon Canal, theFloating Harbour is promoted as an attractivedestination for inland waterway vessels,therefore moorings and other facilities forInland Waterway Craft are provided. Shortstay/overnight moorings are provided at theArnolfini Pontoons and Lloyds Amphitheatre.Additional services such as waste pump-out areprovided.

(ii) Long-Term LicencesThese are licenced moorings for periods of staygreater than 30 days. Long-term does not implythat these moorings are permanent or tied to aparticular location. This type of mooring is usedby local owners of leisure craft who wish tomoor them in the Harbour for long periodsbased on an annual licence.The number of service points (water, electricity,etc) for leisure craft has been expanded. A self-operated pump-out system is provided at BristolMarina, allowing boaters to empty their holdingtanks. This facility must be used by all craft, andis essential to deter the unauthorised release ofeffluent. As the city council actively promotes theHarbour for use by leisure craft, the provision of

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Residential moorings at Welsh Back Cumberland Basin operations


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additional service facilities continues to be apriority. These may be provided by the council,by developers of adjacent quaysides or inpartnership with each other.

(b) Residential Moorings6.4 The use of vessels for residential purposes in the

Harbour has increased as it is attractive andcentral to the city and a lower cost option toexpensive residential property in the centralarea. The City Centre Local Plan acknowledgesthat residential craft can provide a legitimateand useful source of housing in the city centre,but on a limited scale. However, if the council isto accept residential craft in the Harbour it willbe necessary to ensure that moorings areproperly managed and subject to planningcontrol. This will ensure that any potentialconflict between residential craft, water-basedactivities, and quayside land use can be kept toa minimum; also that standards of individualcraft and their impact on the environment canbe regulated.

6.5 Moorings are located to minimise any potentialconflicts with other Harbour users. A dispersedpattern of residential mooring areas allow aform of “neighbourhood watch” role to befulfilled throughout the Harbour whilst at thesame time avoiding the environmental impactand other problems associated with a largeconcentration of residential craft. The optimumnumber of berths within a residential mooringarea depends on satisfaction of the abovecriteria and the size of craft occupying the area.

6.6 Two categories of residential craft have beenrecognised. The first, commonly termed“houseboat”, is merely a floating structure forliving in. It will not be capable of moving underits own power and generally will not bedesigned to be moved at all once in position.The second category referred to here as a“residential vessel” is a boat capable of being

moved or of moving under its own power,which has purpose-built living accommodationaboard. Such craft may not be at their berth atall times. The land use planning andmanagement implications of both types ofresidential craft are virtually indistinguishable,therefore the same considerations will apply inthe management and control of their moorings.

6.7 The following criteria will be applied whendealing with applications for residentialmoorings:

(i) Each residential mooring area will requireplanning consent and individual mooringswill also be licensed. Subsequent majoralterations to the profile or appearance ofthe vessel may require an individualplanning consent, and will also have toconform to local standards. Whilst theDirector of Planning and Development willbe concerned that the initial appearance ofresidential craft is of an acceptable standardand that dedicated services will be providedfor each berth, it will be the responsibility ofCity Docks Management to ensure that thesestandards and services are maintained.

(ii) The allocation and renewal of residentialcraft licences will be the subject of policystatements currently in place.

(iii) Waste can be removed from sewage holdingtanks by pump-out facilities. These arepresently provided at the Mud Dock andBristol Marina. A mobile pump-out serviceis also available by arrangement with theHarbour Office. Further pump-out facilitiesare due to be installed in line with theharbour’s ongoing development.

(iv) All residential vessels moored in theHarbour Arena must be able to be moved toallow space to be created for events in theHarbour. Suitable serviced short stay berthsare made available for these occasions.

The Harbour Arena, St Augustine’s Reach, during Harbour Festival Bristol Marina moorings


(v) No car parking spaces will be allocated onthe quayside for any residential mooring.Car parking spaces may be availableelsewhere in the Harbour Area, but awayfrom the quayside. Occasional vehicleaccess for servicing vessels is possible inmost locations but this will be byarrangement with City Docks Managementand subject to strict time control. Thereason for this is to prevent abuse of thesystem and an uncontrolled proliferation ofvehicles parked permanently on thequayside, as such a situation is directlycontrary to the city council’s objective ofremoving all unnecessary vehicle intrusionfrom public quayside areas.

(vi) Residential Mooring Agreements currentlyhave a term of up to 25 years with breakclauses and review provisions every fiveyears, and an appropriate charging regimeto reflect the facilities enjoyed and servicesprovided. Some craft are recognised asbeing used for residential purposes but haveannual licences.

(c) Commercial Mooring6.8 It is recognised that there is a demand in the

Floating Harbour for permanent, dedicatedcommercial moorings connected to thequayside to main services.At the present time, commercial vessels havededicated moorings. Commercial mooringcontinues to be managed by the Harbour Office.Capacity is currently met but further mooringswill be provided as part of developmentopportunities.There is again an extensive “waiting list” inoperation.

6.9 Commercial moorings are subject to thefollowing controls:

(i) All vessels seeking dedicated commercialmooring require planning consent together

with a mooring agreement drawn up by theProperty Section. Planning consent providescontrol over the appearance of vessels andtheir arrangements for servicing anddisposal of effluent, as well as ensuring thattheir use is compatible with existing orproposed requirements.

(ii) Any commercial vessel trading in strategiclocations of the Harbour affected by eventswill need to be able to move to allow foroccasional relocation.

(iii) Commercial moorings can be categorised asfollows:

Pub, Restaurant and EntertainmentVesselsThese types of uses are encouraged inappropriate locations to provide theFloating Harbour area with facilities tocomplement the council’s leisure policy forthe area. Care must be taken in selectinglocations for such uses to ensure that theamenity of nearby residential properties isnot detrimentally affected. This mustinclude not only noise and smellsemanating from the use itself but alsodisturbance generated from traffic andparking. Such uses of vessels are subject tothe usual public entertainment/alcohollicensing requirements.

Light IndustrialCertain light industrial uses are acceptablein specified locations. Such uses – craftworkshops for example – can complementthe Maritime Heritage theme of theHarbour and provide working examples oftraditional skills for visitors to enjoy. The useof vessels for offices (as defined by the Townand Country Planning (Use Classes) order1987, class B1 (a)) will not be permitted.Noise may be a factor in the proposed useof the vessel, therefore again locations must

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Historic vessel: tug “John King” Welsh Back commercial mooring


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not detrimentally affect any nearbyresidential amenity.

HotelsOpportunities for floating hotels on arelatively small scale exist in the FloatingHarbour but they are very few. Constraintswhich limit hotel opportunities include theneed for the vessel to be of suitableappearance and for there to be satisfactoryvehicle access and associated car parking.Car parking will not be permitted alongsidethe vessel on the quayside.

Ferries, Water Taxis, Charter Boats etcThere are additional developmentopportunities for Water Passenger Transportservices which may require “depot berths”.Therefore shore-based facilities may berequired, which will be subject to planningand most likely landlord control.

(iv) In considering proposals for commercial useof a vessel, the city council looksparticularly for proposals involving vesselswhich have some intrinsic interest in termsof their age, type or historical connectionswith the city, or conversion of a typesympathetic to its original form andfunction.

(v) No car parking rights will be conferred withany commercial mooring, although accessfor servicing will normally be possible. Ifplanning policy requires parking connectedwith the use of a vessel, it must be providedin an acceptable form and location, as partof the planning consent (includingagreement with the city council wheneverthe council’s landholding is involved).

(vi) All refuse and waste generated by the usewill wherever possible be stored on boardthe vessel unless it is connected to a mainssewer. Bins must be kept aboard and storedin a satisfactory way so as not to prejudice

the appearance of the vessels. Vessels willbe expected to comply with requirements ofthe Harbour Master in respect of refuse andwaste disposal, which may vary from timeto time depending on the disposal regimein operation.

(d) Courtesy and Historic Craft6.10 The City Centre Local Plan recognises the value

of courtesy and historic craft in adding to thevariety and character of the harbour.Courtesy moorings will continue to be providedfor Naval and other major sea going vesselsvisiting the city,wherever possible – normally forshort term periods. Serviced areas within theHarbour Arena will be reserved for this purpose.

6.11 The following criteria will be applied inconsidering the provision of courtesy andhistoric mooring:

(i) Courtesy and historic vessels visiting theHarbour on a short term basis will belicensed in the normal manner and serviceswill be provided.

(ii) Some historic vessels may be moored in theHarbour on a long-term basis, acting, forexample, as floating museums or having acommercial function in their own right.Planning consent answered as a commercialmooring may not be required. Someservices may be provided dependent on thetype of vessel, and holding tanks will berequired in appropriate cases. The Directorof Culture and Leisure Services will beconsulted regarding the historical value andauthenticity of such vessels.

(iii) Limited operational car parking may beconsidered in cases for courtesy or historicmooring.

Light industrial uses Ferries, water taxis and charter boats


(e) Operational Moorings/Facilities6.12 Operational moorings are those essential to the

running and maintenance of the City Docks.Further quayside space in the Docks is reservedfor operational purposes. Examples of thosereservations are the Cumberland Basin itself, asit is required as a holding area for vesselsentering and leaving the Docks; and MardykeWharf which is an emergency deep water berth,most often used by vessels awaiting entry to theGraving Dock. There are operational mooringsat Underfall Yard.

6.13 A waiting list for leisure moorings is currently inoperation due to demand for moorings greatlyexceeding supply. There is also a long waitinglist for residential moorings.

Conclusion

7.1 The development of the land in the Harbourhas put pressures on the use of the water. Thesystem is already close to capacity with majorevents becoming more and more difficult toaccommodate. There are additional pressuresfor demand for short stay moorings withassociated facilities. Discord between land andwater uses has already occurred in some placesand now conflicts between different users of thewater emerge. Resolving these conflicts isdifficult, requiring a sensitive and flexibleresponse. Circumstances change in the Harbouroften at a much faster rate than is the case withland based development. It is importanttherefore that a mooring policy is not “cast intablets of stone”, but can be adapted to meetchanging requirements and opportunities.

7.2 This policy must be seen as a broad guide toachieving the city council’s objectives for theHarbour as a place of quality and distinction, ofvariety and vitality and a place which all visitorscan enjoy and be proud of and will wish to visitagain.

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Courtesy and historic craft The Floating Harbour from Cumberland Basin to St Mary Redcliffe


Leisure moorings (All quaysides will be suitable for standard leisure moorings subject to limitations unless indicatedas either “No moorings permitted”, “Docks operational moorings” or “Short-stay moorings”.)

No moorings permitted

Docks operational moorings

Commercial mooring areas (subject to Planning Consents)

Residential mooring areas (subject to Planning Consents)

Sea-going visiting craft and historic vessels

Moorings subject to periodic relocation (owing to major events)

Marina style moorings

Private moorings

Ferry points

Please note

1 Notations on this plan are indicative only and do not imply individual mooring locations or actual water space occupied by vessels.

2 Where two notations are shown the area is suitable for either form of mooring, and this does not necessarily mean vessels will be“double berthed”.

3 All moorings are subject to the discretion and control of the Harbour Master.

4 Commercial and residential moorings and some historic craft will be subject to planning control and the agreement of the City Valuer.

5 No parking rights are implied on quaysides adjacent to any mooring.

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w w w . b r i s t o l . g o v . u k / b r i s t o l h a r b o u r w w w . b r i s t o l . g o v . u k / b r i s t o l h a r b o u r

Old JunctionLock

RedcliffeBacks

TempleQuay

RedcliffeWharfLloyds

AmphitheatreArnolfiniPontoons

St Augustine’sReach

Written by City Docks Section • Designed by Bristol City Council Corporate Design • DES0612 • January 2008 • Printed on recycled paper • www.bristol.gov.uk/bristolharbour

Bristol Docks Mooring Policy Jan 2008

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