Thames party boat pier refused
Proposal for the erection of a pier within the Thames
Richard Buxton Solicitors were instructed by residents’ association, Living Bankside, to oppose development of a pier at Swan Lane due to its likely impact on amenity, particularly noise, transport, and light impact, from the proposed regular berthing of the Ocean Diva on an almost nightly basis.
Before our involvement, the existing pier, which was generally policy compliant, had not been fully considered in the light of its intended predominant use for getting on and off a large, and late night, party boat. We wrote to the City of London Corporation highlighting the concerns, including crime risk, that would result. We also encouraged the clients to inform other statutory consultees of the concerns, including the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor of London. The Mayor then sought call in of the application. Other impacted businesses raised further helpful objections to the proposal.
Consequently, when the matter came to committee the application was refused for the grounds articulated in our objection letter i.e.:
‘The impact of the proposal in respect of the embarkation and disembarkation of a number of passengers and their dispersal from the site would result in significant noise, disturbance and inconvenience arising from increased pedestrian and vehicular movements and would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of nearby occupiers and the safety of pedestrians and other road users contrary to London Plan Policy 6.3, 7.15, Draft London Plan Policy T4, Local Plan Policy DM 15.7, DM16.1 and DM 21.3, Draft Local Plan Policy HL3, SA2, S3, S9, VT1, HS3 and the aims and objectives of the NPPF.’
A further ground of refusal was the application’s failure to provide a multi-use pier, which was not designed to accommodate and provide for a sustainable freight offering for a variety of users, contrary to the London Plan.
- Ocean Diva Decision Notice
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Senior Solicitor
Commentary
This is a good example where with the assistance of a clear objection letter, clients were able via their hard work and enthusiasm, to heighten interest in the issue from other neighbouring businesses, statutory consultees and the media by highlighting the impacts that the facility would enable. This allowed the whole scheme to be considered in its proper context, rather than the initial small scale pier development which was initially considered.
Through research for the objection letter, it became apparent that there appeared to be a distinct lack of clarity of who would be the relevant statutory body for the enforcement of nuisance impacts at the point where the vessel is moored and when it was under sail within the Thames. This made it of greater importance to prevent the development in the first place, which was successfully achieved for the client. As a result of the successful refusal, there do not appear to be any further plans to accommodate the Ocean Diva on the Thames.