Friday 14 February 2014

REPLY TO A QUESTION ON OUTER HARBOUR

This is a reply to a question asked about the outer harbour, hope you find it helpful.  Armand


Subject: RE: Looe Harbour flood defence plans and proposed new outer harbour

Dear Alice, Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you but after being away on holiday there have been a lot of issues to be dealt with from the recent flooding. These effected many properties in the area and there has been some damage to the infrastructure which needed to be attended to urgently.

In saying the above the project that you wish information becomes even more important for the town and it's residents. Back in the 90s the EA did some tests in the harbour to construct some form of flood defences for the town, probably lock gates which was strongly apposed by the towns Harbour Commission and Fisherman. It was thought that what was proposed would make entering the harbour dangerous, as an ex trawler owner and skipper i can confirm this. This idea was dropped and no further work was done in respect of any flood defences until a chance meeting early one morning with a member of the EA and myself (as a local councillor). When we discussed the continued flooding in the town its affects on the businesses and residents and the potential for serious damage to the infrastructure. We talked over the past schemes and the possibility of moving something new forward. After a meeting with the towns Harbour Commissioners the EA promised to put in a substantial sum of money if any community solution would elevate flooding. Since then there has been a series of meetings with the EA and even a meeting with Dan Rogerson the flooding minister who supported this approach. The basic idea is that the town develops its own plan for flood defences that will include elements of regeneration to bring more visiting craft and renewed vigour to the fishing indistry. This is being lead by the Harbour Commissioners who have so far got outlined permissions to used Duchy, Crown Estates and Cornwall Council land for any scheme that comes forward. The next stage is for the Commissioners to get down some basic ideas on paper and take them to the towns organisations and residents so that any plans for the future development of an outer harbour, breakwater etc come form and with the agreement of the town. Any plan must be put forward as part of the Town Plan which will be voted on by the town.

This is just a brief outline of what is happening

Regards



Armand Toms cc
Looe East and St Martins
01503 264823