Liveaboard boaters at Phoenix boatyard on the River Avon in Keynsham were granted a Certificate of Lawful Use by BaNES Council Planning officers in January 2022. This means that their residential use of the moorings is lawful and the Council cannot take planning enforcement action against them for living on the moorings.
This Thursday evening (March 15th) Alton Parish Council is to hold a second meeting to discuss getting rid of all the temporary and permanent moorings outside the Barge Inn, Honey Street and at Gibson’s Boat Services (now Moonboats). In addition we understand that the Parish Council wants to prevent boats from mooring anywhere in the Parish. British Waterways and a Community Police Officer have been invited to attend the meeting, but no attempt has been made to consult local boaters. However a number of boaters plan to attend the meeting and would welcome other boaters joining them.
We have submitted information on the situation, rights and needs of liveaboard boaters for the Core Strategies being drafted by Bath and NE Somerset and Wiltshire Councils.
What’s the Core Strategy? It’s the policy that guides local planning over the next 20 years or so. A boater met with one of the planning officers involved in drafting Wiltshire’s strategy, and a written response has gone to the public consultation on the BANES core strategy. This was done in response firstly to a proposal by Wiltshire’s Canal Officer that the Local Mooring Strategy should be written into its Core Strategy, and secondly because Bathampton and Claverton Parish Councils have responded to the BANES consultation with proposals that would have an adverse impact on liveaboard boaters.
Photo: Bob Naylor KAcanalTIMES.co.uk