Upnor House Boat Appeal

HOUSEBOAT MOORED AT LOWER UPNOR - YOUR CHANCE TO OBJECT

Many of you will have noticed the work that went on opposite the former Arethusa toilet block culminating in the mooring of a houseboat with obvious provision for siting further vessels at that location.

Medway Council issued an Enforcement Notice effective 25th January 2023 giving the developer one month in which to remove the houseboat, piles and all other articles associated with the mooring. The developer has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate (https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3315311) and now you have a chance to support the Council in having the houseboat etc removed by submitting your representation to the Inspectorate as indicated in the link.

The Council’s reasons for issuing the Enforcement Notice turn on what they consider to be a breach of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the unauthorised development of the area without the benefit of Planning Permission. In summary, the Council has cited the following: above-water noise; potential waste and litter disposal that could have a harmful impact on priority species and their habitats; the driving of piles into the river-bed that could be harmful to nature conservation in that part of the Medway; excessive pilings that give rise to visual clutter in the locality and the mooring of a large vessel that is out of character with the surrounding river-scape. Moreover, the Council does not consider that Planning Permission should be given to the unauthorised development as conditions could not overcome objections to the development.

You have until 28th March 2023 by which to submit your objections and that process can be followed by clicking the Make representation option on the Planning Inspectorate link. Please remember you are not objecting to a Planning Application but supporting the Council in having the unauthorised development removed.