Big Strides Made In Progress Of Yorkshire Harbour & Marina Project

Plans for a Yorkshire Harbour and Marina in Bridlington are progressing well, with the council and Bridlington Harbour Commissioners bidding for funding from Central Government’s Local Growth Fund to help the area’s economic growth.

The project is one of several that form part of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) submission which is currently being considered by the Government.

Subject to securing the £4 million and approval by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, 29 November, the project would proceed to the design stage, which will see the appointment of a project team who will create the concept design for the harbour and marina, develop a harbour top master plan and test the associated business case.

Since agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2015, the council and commissioners appointed BAM Nuttall to produce a design and cost report for the project.

As part of its brief, BAM Nuttall was asked to cost both the original outline layout in the Bridlington Area Action Plan (AAP), adopted by the council in 2013, and recommend any alternative options, based on their experience of developing such projects. As an alternative, they have suggested retaining the commercial fishing fleet in the existing harbour and creating the marina in the proposed new harbour.

Although this alternative maintains the same footprint as the AAP layout, this arrangement has a number of benefits, including reducing the disruption to the fishing fleet, requiring a less substantial form of construction for the new outer pier, reducing the need for dredging the existing harbour, and shortening the construction timescale.

The cost for the design in the AAP was projected, at today’s prices, at circa £96 million compared with £54 million for the alternative option, which is now the preferred scheme for the council and commissioners.

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Securing Local Growth Fund money from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding EP is the next milestone in helping to realise this ambitious plan and the council, working together with the harbour commissioners, is confident in the strength of the bid.

“Subject to securing the funds and cabinet approval, a design and project team will be appointed to prepare the groundwork for the Yorkshire Harbour and Marina.

“Developing this area would help unlock the significant economic potential of the town and firmly establish Great Bridlington as the heart of the Yorkshire Coast.”

Chris Wright, chairman of Bridlington Harbour Commissioners, said:

“Bridlington Harbour Commissioners are working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council on the affordability, design and concept of a scheme that can be delivered to suit all concerned. Much progress has been made on this joint project and we look forward to a development coming to fruition.”

Barry Dodd, chairman of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership, said:

“We have worked closely with both East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the harbour commissioners to develop a deliverable business plan. The investment in Bridlington Harbour will ensure game-changing development in the town centre to provide new harbour and marina infrastructure.

“With multi-billion investments in offshore wind and potash along the Yorkshire Coast, it is essential our great coastal towns develop the ambition and infrastructure needed to capitalise and deliver much-needed jobs and investment.”

As well as the Yorkshire Harbour and Marina Project, the council’s cabinet will also be updated about other regeneration schemes currently underway in Bridlington, including the second phase of the Bridlington Integrated Transport Plan (BridITP2), the redevelopment proposals for Burlington Parade, the Bridlington Townscape Heritage project – supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the impact the new East Riding Leisure Bridlington development has had on the town and other investments in the town such as construction of the new 80-bed Premier Inn and the RNLI’s new lifeboat station.