Potter Heigham Staithe

[riverman]

Today I was involved in a conversation with some of my least favourite people (BA) and apparently Potter Staithe, which has always been a working staithe, is getting bollards to stop vehicular access. 

Just curious as to if any home owners or boaters in the area had heard about this? 

For as long as I can remember it's been used to load and unload materials to service the properties down the banks and if no other access is given, will have a major impact on those properties. 

 

[JohnK]

Is there one in Potter itself or do you mean the one half a mile downstream at Repps?
I know the one at Repps is going to temporarily lose vehicular access whilst some work is done on the dyke bridge around March time.


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[riverman]

The one right by the bridge, in front of Herbert woods. 

[JohnK]

Ah ok, so they’re going to close the pullin loop? I’ve not heard that.
I’ll post that on a residents FB group I’m in and see if anyone knows.


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[riverman]

I assume so, but then I don't understand where the refuse boat will transfer it's load. They may just put bollards across where the telegraph post gate used to be. 

Thank you for doing that.

[Grainside]

I am surprised at this.

It would be a very big inconvenience to me. I use it a lot to get building materials down to my bungalow and will be using it in the morning. I shall investigate.

Not another battle I hope!

Chris

[JennyMorgan]

The bollards might be lockable thus unlockable, fingers crossed.

[JohnK]

This is what person thinks:

I believe that the BA are going to add bollards to the Staithe at Potter, I don't think that it will be the loop part. I think that it's to stop people driving right up to the water in large vehicles where they have previously had horizontal wooden telegraph post barriers. Will try and check that out for us!

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[riverman]

15 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

The bollards might be lockable thus unlockable, fingers crossed.

Not from what I was lead to believe during my conversation with BA, they don't want anyone using it as a 'working staithe' for insurance reasons. Be that private contractors carrying out essential maintenance or homeowners moving belongings. 

As far as contactors go, the ranger suggested that sorting access was our own problem, which is all well and good but not everyone down potter bank is going to be able to stump up possibly another £1000 on top of the price of the job just to get the materials on site.

Closing the staithe in itself isn't an issue, time moves on, things change. However, if it is correct, is there going to be a consultation period with all the bungalow owners and relevant parties? Where would be the suggested practical alternative access? Repps? Hickling? Will the home owners have to create there own staithe? 

 

[JennyMorgan]

If a staithe is a staithe in the general sense of a Broads staithe then I doubt access from the land can be refused. The BA has history where Potter's Shed City is concerned. I foresee a fight, good luck.

[marshman]

Is that not owned by the Parish Council, or am I talking about the bit facing HW? I seem to remember some time ago about having a spat from the PC over use of the staithe?

[riverman]

As far as 'shed city' is concerned, there are getting a few now of well above shed standard. Closing the staithe would only put people off from renovating and tidying up some of the less aesthetically pleasing properties.

I believe, don't hold me to this, it is owned by the PC but run and maintained by BA. There is currently a spat on the staithe between BA and various businesses regarding mooring there, which even without my distain for them, I have to say they are handling extremely badly. 

[rightsaidfred]

Yes I believe this is a Parish Staithe which has been handed over to the BA for administration purposes.

Fred

[Broadsword]

It's a shame if true, we often load/unload there and it is very handy to be able to pull up close to the boat. We'd manage, but some of the 'shed' users would find it a blessed nuisance... One question 'WHY?' Is there some change in use, some ongoing problem that requires this action?

[grendel]

perhaps someone has complained that vans have parked and blocked the view of the bridge from the camera?

[riverman]

I think it has more to do with liabilities, or atleast that's the official line I believe. 

Now this is purely conjecture but knowing the relationship BA has with one of the main contractors that uses the staithe, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the whole thing wasn't out of spite.

[JennyMorgan]

The BA is on record as having had the desire to eventually remove the 'sheds' from the Thurne. I say 'had', which might still be the case, but maybe by making things difficult for owners a new campaign is starting. I hope not because I rather like Potter as it is.

[Vaughan]

9 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

I hope not because I rather like Potter as it is.

And always was.

[JennyMorgan]

I can only guess but I suspect that contractor's vehicles have been hogging the staithe during the day rather than parking elsewhere thus there have been complaints. A problem easily solved by introducing parking restrictions. Okay, so I am only guessing! 

[riverman]

Buy why? Why do they want rid of them? With the current trend towards smaller more sustainable homes, I would have thought they would be pushing EA to sell off plots running up to the existing ones from the bridge down martham bank and show themselves as a modern progressive, caring organisation. Affordable housing for the broads.

As for vehicles, it's a working staithe and has been for generations, we shouldn't have to park elsewhere. 

[JennyMorgan]

A working staithe, agreed but maybe too many folk use it as a car park? A draconian response by the BA, maybe, but perhaps one forced upon them because of complaints. Has anyone asked the BA why? 

As for allowing more riverside accommodation, sounds like a great idea but I don't see it happening any time soon, not with the present incumbents at Yare House.  Affordable housing, easy, houseboats, which takes us back to Thorpe Island and Jenner's Basin for the quick answer to that one! The BA as a modern progressive, caring organisation, I don't think so . 

[Vaughan]

Could someone bring me up to date on this? I have always understood that the holiday chalets along the river at Potter could only be lived in during the summer months. Are they now being used as dwellings? If so, surely they should have road access.

[NorfolkNog]

The person who really would know the answers is David (expilot) but I'm not sure that he looks over this side of the fence 

[JennyMorgan]

10 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

The person who really would know the answers is David (expilot) but I'm not sure that he looks over this side of the fence 

Obviously doesn't know what he's missing! As the man that matters in the shed owners association he should know. Decent bloke. I've long forgotten my password for the other place, also lost David's e-mail address, but I'm sure that someone here could p.m. him.

[Vaughan]

Peter mentioned Thorpe Island and there may be a parallel here. Roger Wood is living in a house on the island for which he has planning permission, the site of which has been used as a dwelling for 150 years. When Thorpe Council locked off the public staithe they also blocked his access to a trunk road, which is against planning law, as the staithe is his only access.

If chalets in Potter are now being lived in year round, with permission, then surely the public staithe is their access to the road?