Read MorePlanning Application
Planning Application is with Babergh Planning Portal, full details on this link, or summary below, public consultation ends on the 14th May 2018
https://planning.baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=P6CXRJSHIQU00
At the November SGM, in newsletters and press articles, Chairman John Davitt outlined the proposed plan of starting by having a Visitor / Volunteer Centre on the land end with some decking over the water, then the long Victorian promenade section for the second stage, and the hammerhead would be the last section to be renovated. The development and renovation has been planned in stages so that funds can be applied as they are raised.
The building will enable retail sales of memorabilia and other pier related things for fishing, crabbing and boating as well as being a display space for all the amazing heritage people have given us. It will become the home of the pier project, and give us even more momentum to raise the money needed to restore the entire pier. This pier will be for people to stroll on, go fishing, and depart and arrive from the river. The planned single storey Visitor and Volunteer Centre will be part of showing off the history of the pier, and enable our local community to have a heritage space to be proud of. Activities such as art groups, photography groups and other community activities such as meetings will be held here, increasing leisure use of the area.
Here is the extract from the Planning Application:
“The proposal is for two single storey buildings either side of a 3 metre access to the Pier. The buildings will provide community facilities with café and workshop. Adjacent to the buildings will be small external decked viewing/sitting areas. The workshop shall provide facilities for volunteers to carry out repairs to the pier.”
Whilst the plan has always been to renovate the Pier to its former Victorian splendour, there was never an intention to reinstate the previous hideous ramshackle shacks by the land end. The previous owner had already achieved planning permission for retail kiosks, we are now developing that plan into a community space which should include refreshments for both volunteers and visitors. The kitchen galley measures 3m by 4m, which is 10 feet by 13.5 feet
The internal layout and the outdoor decking seating area are not final. We intend to have a communal area –for use as craft activity, group sessions for training and leisure, as well as retail shelving for sales of memorabilia, plus display of some of our amazing heritage items. Somewhere in there we hope to have a large screen TV to show shipping movements for people who would like to know what is happening on the rivers. Other ideas will no doubt come forth from our community.
To reduce the risk of flooding of the Visitor Centre, it will be higher than the current decking, with a gradually increasing slope of the whole area to enable full access to wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs and others who find steps difficult to use. It means that the pier will not have any steps to cope with. At the end of this section, the slope will gradually reduce again so that the promenade part of the pier can remain at its original level.
The lively debate about the appearance of the entrance to the pier has been stimulating, and many opinions are being voiced. Some like the modern appearance, some want a more heritage appearance. The great thing about the form of governance we have chosen is that there is one vote per member, so our members will have the final say, with the ability to influence the finish and "feel" of the structure. Minor amendments can be submitted at any stage.
To put the engineering drawings into context, here is Halfpenny Pier, Harwich
To let us know what you think, please email: shotleypier@gmail.com or use the planning portal if you prefer to contact the planning department direct
October 2023 News letter
Red Lion Coffee Morning Wednesday 4th October Our Artist of the Month appearing at the Red Lion on Wednesday 4th October is Pavel Kricka, who has been working locally and displaying at our annual Art show and other local art events, becoming well known and selling well. His work is very appealing. Pavel said: ” Lock down has a lot to answer for but for me it was very positive to be forced to slow down, it was during this time I restarted my interest in ceramics. I began hand building sculptural pieces and refreshed my throwing skills. My inspiration in ceramics is Lucy Rie, Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada. I’m also have a photographic practice that started with sport and has branched out into events and interior photography, you can see some of my work on my web site, and on Instagram. Press this button to see Pavel Kricka’s website SAVE THE DATE: Red Lion Saturday 9th December Our December coffee morning at the Red Lion will be a Christmas special, so please save the date. 2024 Shotley Heritage Calendar Thank you to June Lawford-Randall who has been collating the photos sent in by so many local enthusiasts. It will be ready for sale very soon for £8 It will be the same size as last year which made it easy to post as a gift, will be on sale at Shotley Post Office thanks to Mr Manish Patel. To get this support in the local business community is so helpful, Manish has sold the calendar on our behalf for several years and we are very grateful. We have been fundraising for the new gates to the pier, and we are now over halfway to the amount we need. Some has been donated at local coffee mornings, some direct online.The blue button below is proving a great easy way to send donations, and PayPal adds a donation each time it’s used. Press this button to donate and PayPal will add to your donation ! Podcasts have become a good way to spread the word about all sorts of subjects. Some time ago, Suffolk Money invited us to talk about the pier, hope you have time to listen, it’s part of a series they made about local causes. Podcast about the pier group
Read MoreHappy Christmas 2022
Why not sponsor a plank as a Christmas gift ? Immortalise a loved one for £100 and get this personalised gift token to email or post. Email shotleypier@gmail.com for the order form. Plaques to be installed in January 2023 (weather permitting)
Read MoreMore drawings to see: Option 4
As the buildings will be a pair of buildings either side of the pier, this is what they would look like as a pair
Read MoreMore drawings to see: Option 3
As the buildings will be a pair of buildings either side of the pier, this is what they would look like as a pair
Read MoreMore Drawings to see: Option 2
As the buildings will be a pair of buildings either side of the pier, this is what they would look like as a pair
Read MoreMore drawings to see: Option 1
As the buildings will be a pair of buildings either side of the pier, this is what they would look like as a pair
Read MoreSetback for Pier as Planning Permission Refused
Our application was actually recommended for approval and had widespread support to help us move the project forward. The discussion was illogical at times, and the Babergh Solicitor kept telling objecting councillors the reasons they were giving were not valid in planning law. After the vote of 7 against 6, the 7 councillors struggled for 11 minutes to give reasons that could be put in the council minutes. We have been advised we have good grounds for appeal. Following the many emails and comments from investors, the Board is weighing up next steps, looking at whether to appeal and whether to revise the plans. Most of the 38 objections came from the Sailing Club next door, and the small vocal group who have objected to every stage of our project. We have been approached by the Marina to have talks with them and other local businesses, and as ever, we are always ready to listen to opinions. Investors are very welcome to give opinions to the volunteers, either by chatting or by emailing shotleypier@gmail.com We have been shortlisted for 3 major grants, all of them require planning permission to be in place before they make an award, so we need to progress to planning permission as soon as possible. Mis-information was spread that we intended to open an 84 seater restaurant, and this clearly influenced councillors who believed we were trying to steal trade from the nearby pub and marina. It was hard to stomach the comment from Councillor Busby that our volunteers would ruin other local traders when we all feel that extra visitors will benefit all traders there, and we have no intention of serving restaurant meals, only light refreshments. Tables and chairs are not only for eating at ! Some people have said why not just repair the pier without a building on it? The proposed buildings are not going to be on the pier, they would be on decking alongside the pier, we hoped for a workshop for volunteer maintenance of the pier, plus a visitor centre as is normal on a pier, to enable us to hold pier-related activities. The kind of activity our Visitor Centre expects to have: Leaning on the railings to bird watch Junior craft activities in the school holidays to enjoy the pier Creative leisure such as art and photography Enjoying looking at the views while strolling or sitting inside…
Read MoreMemoir of the Pier
We are seeking to interview people who have memories of the Pier. The Board has always wanted to celebrate the personal stories of people who care about the pier. We’ve teamed up with author Robert Ashton, for whom this will be his 20th published book. As a child Robert lived at Brantham and so used to visit the pier himself more than 50 years ago. His book will be an exploration into the pier’s past, its present, and the hopes people have for its future. He’s describing the book, which will be titled ‘River of Hope’ as a collective biography, sharing the stories of those he meets or speaks to, both by design and also by chance. Robert takes his inspiration from George Ewart Evans, who wrote about rural Suffolk before the Great War. He too wrote the stories of people he met, capturing them before they were lost. Robert is currently researching the book and conducting interviews, some face to face and some over the phone. If you would like to share your story about the pier, please contact Robert by email, robert@robertashton.co.uk or get in touch with us and we’ll make an introduction. He hopes to have the interviews completed by mid-September, so that the book can be published in time for Christmas. The book will be a fundraiser for the pier, as well hope, as spreading word about why this project is so important. Contact robert@robertashton.co.uk
Read MoreShare Certificates go to Holland
As share certificates start to be issued to our 520 investors, one special group in Holland were having a very special family reunion, and our volunteer Casper took the opportunity to present certificates to all those he had persuaded to take part Clan Holland as we call them, are all related to Casper de Boer who has lived in Shotley for many years, becoming a well known dutch settler. He has enthusiastically introduced the idea of sharing ownership of the pier with his clan, and we are looking forward to putting a cluster of celebratory plaques up for them. Here is the family video of Casper presenting the share certificates to his relatives in Holland, thank you all for your kind support of our community project.
Read More
