Premier welcome supporting paragraph 4.77 and the importance of an “active marine economy, including boatyards and marina sites” and the associated benefits of these to the economy of the wider area and a for tourism and recreation.
However, supporting paragraph 4.78 states that: “exceptionally… a small part of a marina or boatyard to be used for alternative uses”, is unacceptably restrictive. This relates also to the comments made in respect of Draft Policy NE11.
The case has clearly been made in relation to other policy elements around the need for economic diversification at marinas in association with maintaining existing employment uses and supporting new tourism/leisure developments.
The policy direction acknowledges that housing pressure from Government is a relevant concern. Premier considers that residential and leisure and tourism uses are essential to waterside placemaking and its portfolio of 10 marinas demonstrates that these uses not only co-exist comfortably with marine uses but enhance and contribute to the sense of place.
Chichester Marina has an established residential community on-site. This includes the 31 residential houseboats on the Chichester Canal on which residential use dates back over 50 years. More recently, in 2016, Premier invested £4m at Chichester Marina in converting redundant and end of life office and retail property into of 19 residential apartments. These are let on a short term and a long-term basis to people either looking for a short break. or a more permanent residence in the marina and have provided a new lease of life to otherwise redundant buildings.
The majority of successful marinas offer a wide range if uses from residential through to retail and commercial. Amongst Premier’s portfolio of ten marinas there is residential use either on or immediately adjacent to nine of its sites. Residential use is widely acknowledged as being highly complementary to marinas, which in turn provide the context for residences.
Premier has an established record in master planning marinas and waterside place making. Port Solent, a marina comprising residential, retail, commercial and marine uses, was the first example of this. More recently, in 2018, Premier secured hybrid planning permission for a mixed-use scheme at Noss on Dart Marina, located in the South Hams AONB. The scheme offers a high quality new marina, boatyard, commercial development and hotel alongside a substantial residential development. Although localised to reflect the uniqueness of its location, the approved plans for Noss on Dart demonstrate that the mixed-use sustainable development which is critical to ensuring the longevity of marinas and the communities which they support is possible in sensitive areas.
The masterplan for Noss on Dart is widely acknowledged as setting the standard for marina master planning and provides an example of what can be achieved in a countryside and AONB location that is very similar to that of Chichester Marina. Both sites share similar operational and socio-economic challenges the importance of diversification to creating sustainable marinas cannot be underestimated.
In addition, Premier suggest the specific requirement for new development around Chichester Harbour and Pagham Harbour to be setback 25 metres (measured from the mean high water level to allow for future erosion) should be removed as this will stifle development. Whilst Premier recognise the importance of flooding and issues with coastal erosion, this ‘catch all’ policy is too restrictive and instead minimum setbacks should be considered on a site-by-site basis based in necessary flood / ground conditions analysis.