New Marina Site near Northwich

[Neil2]

Rumour has it that it's Dave Massey's project, previously uplands, now at wincham wharf. We watch developments with interest. It would be good to see the plans.

called Higgins farm, davenham road, rudheath

http://pa.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=L847HRQP0DZ00

 

can't get docs to open properly

I believe that's right and they are planning to have 400 berths, apparently.

[Suzie_q]

I believe that's right and they are planning to have 400 berths, apparently.

I belive the larger marina proposal was refused some time ago and this application is for just 90 berths and only one building on site.

[Neil2]

I belive the larger marina proposal was refused some time ago and this application is for just 90 berths and only one building on site.

That's interesting, my information came from a pretty good source but I thought at the time it was a bit excessive.

[pearley]

Moored on the Weaver in Northwich on Saturday we were approached by a local to sign a petition about the proposed marina at Billinge Flash. Not against the marina as planning permission already given, but about the proposal to dump the polluted dredgings on the surrounding farmland.

 

Regards

Pete

[AndrewIC]

A similar notice has appeared in the service block at Anderton.

[DHutch]

Been a work in progress for several years at least. Travelreign were the company that built Uplands Marina at Anderton (now owned by Nantwich Canal Centre). No idea what's going on at the new site, or who is running with it, sorry.

Indeed.

 

Uplands was in fact called 'Travelreign Marina' until it was sold to Nantwich, with plans to develop a new marina being in place before the sale. I have to admit I have not followed it closely, but on the surface at least developing what appeared to be a fairly generic and some what damp clay filled field into a marina makes far more sense to me than developing what appears to so be a very pretty fairly good area around a fairly nice looking flash.

 

 

 

Daniel

[AndrewIC]

Indeed.Uplands was in fact called 'Travelreign Marina' until it was sold to Nantwich

Almost.... The marina has been known as Uplands or Uplands Basin for at least 14 years, which is when first took a mooring there, and possibly before that (one end of the marina was an existing basin). The operating company was, and still is, Travelreign Ltd, but that was sold to the owners of Natwich Canal Centre a few years ago.

 

Edit to say: it would seems to make more sense to finish the half-built marina before starting a new one. The length of time the site at Rudheath has been in progress hardly suggests a huge demand for moorings.

Edited September 2, 2013 by AndrewIC

[DHutch]

Almost.... The marina has been known as Uplands or Uplands Basin for at least 14 years, which is when first took a mooring there, and possibly before that (one end of the marina was an existing basin). The operating company was, and still is, Travelreign Ltd, but that was sold to the owners of Natwich Canal Centre a few years ago.

Fair enough, certainly the road leading to it has always been Uplands road, but until the sale to Nantwich and the rebranding that followed all the signage what headed 'TravelReign Ltd' rather than anything else and thats what we always referred to it as.

I was also under the impression from our paperwork that they hung onto the TravelReign name when they sold it, and that it was now operated as part of nantwich. Was it Noel, the bloke who looked after it before Dave?

 

It must be five years since it was sold now?

 

 

Daniel

[AndrewIC]

So I went and had a look at the new marina sites this evening... No pics, sorry, it was almost dark!

 

On the flash "Ripple UK" site, a stone road has been laid from Davenham Road to the "sunken boat" flash, and as someone else commented there are some pegs in the field. Not much else yet though. I can't open the council documents site, so I don't know what the development is supposed to look like, but I don't see how they will get 90 boats in unless they enlarge the flash?

 

On the towpath side on the other side of Davenham Road, the other new marina is a very large hole. Jetties are in the course of construction, some with decking, and brick abutments for a towpath diversion entrance bridge have been built (but no bridge deck yet), and although some piles have been sunk for the entrance "funnel", there is no activity yet on the towpath. If it ever gets finished, this is going to be a big marina! That said, nothing seems to have moved on very much. Does anyone know which company is developing this (planning application, perhaps?)?

[AndrewIC]

...and going past today:

 

Not a lot of change at the flash site, apart from the appearance of a new "Danger - shallow water. Do not enter" sign (ditto at Croxton), and some sort of boom across the "bay" at the far end of the flash.

 

On the towpath side site, the entrance bridge now has a deck and most of its infill panels, and jetty construction has progressed a bit. No sign of any actual water or a connection to the canal yet, though.

 

Middlewich lock 74 is open again, Acrows still in place on the bottom gate quoins, and the gates leaking badly. Had to let some extra water down to over the top cill.

[sueanddaren]

Updating this thread! Walked by both marinas today. Dave Massey's has jetties etc and the towpath is closed so you have to walk round the dug out marina, looks like it just needs water and boats now! The flashes one has a sign up saying opening summer 2014 email- marina.enquiries@btinternet.com - no jetties or anything. 2 marinas 2 very different styles.

[AndrewIC]

Dave Massey's has jetties etc and the towpath is closed so you have to walk round the dug out marina.

Not been that way (or, for various reasons, anywhere much) for a few months... Do you go over the new towpath bridge, or literally right round!?

[sueanddaren]

Right round marina, he's got a lot of very small jetties, some longer 60ft? Ones then the car park type like uplands.

[raymondh]

Is this the site with "heavy metal contamination" ? if so would explain the depth of the dig out

Ray

[sueanddaren]

Check out new marina on billings flash. Oakwoodmarina.co.uk

[sueanddaren]

Added photos of other dug out marina on tow path side,on our gallerygallery. Couldn't post on here.

[justpassingthrough]

Does anyone have an update on the marina near the pipe bridge. the one with the jetties and no water referred to below. Seems to have been in in progress for years but now looks to be near completion. All seems a bit secretive. Anyone shed any light on it, as seems a lot of confusion in the thread. What is it called, when is it open, will it have residential moorings, who owns it, is there a website etc.

[sueanddaren]

Check previous my posts- Dave Massey and friends,'narrowboatsltd' Windham wharf are doing the one with jetties. They are in no rush as it's being done with old diggers to no particular timescale (according to one of the partners we talked to.)may open next spring.

 

The other is, we think, a patnership between the farmer and a builder'oakwood marina' nice website no marina yet.

Edited December 5, 2014 by sueanddaren

[AndrewIC]

Update April 2015....

 

Nothing much has changed.... At the Billinge Green Flash site there are still just some surveying poles sticking out of the water, no jetties, and not much sign of any activity. There is one boat moored against the bank. At the other site the entrance stop planks are still in (and banked up with clay on the canal side), and it all looks ready to be filled, as it has for quite some time!

[Pete & Helen]

Update 4th May. Went past yesterday and wondered what was happening at these two sites. Both are still as reported above (including the single moored boat on the offside). The jetties are extremely long would take a week to walk down on :-)

[MHS]

Update 4th May. Went past yesterday and wondered what was happening at these two sites. Both are still as reported above (including the single moored boat on the offside). The jetties are extremely long would take a week to walk down on :-)

We passed a couple of weeks ago. Not only are the finger jetties massively long, but there seems to be no room to manoeuvre inside the marina.

[dor]

We passed a couple of weeks ago. Not only are the finger jetties massively long, but there seems to be no room to manoeuvre inside the marina.

Interesting observation. I for one would not want to be moored on one of those long jetties. However I wonder now if the idea was/is to build a basic no-frills marina with cheap moorings to attract liveaboards. Would probably get tacit support from C&RT as an option for people who complain they can't afford marina fees, although the local authority might take an unhealthy interest.

[MoominPapa]

We passed a couple of weeks ago. Not only are the finger jetties massively long, but there seems to be no room to manoeuvre inside the marina.

Looks like a similar arrangement to Anderton Marina, where we stayed for a week last year. Seemed to work OK in practise, as long as you happy to reverse down the row on the way in or the way out.

 

MP.

[Paul C]

We passed a couple of weeks ago. Not only are the finger jetties massively long, but there seems to be no room to manoeuvre inside the marina.

 

There's room to maneouvre but, as stated in post #48, the problem is if you go in forwards you're committed to coming out backwards, or vice versa. If its windy, you're 99% guaranteed to hit or rub against about 8 other boats on the way out (or in).

[MHS]

 

There's room to maneouvre but, as stated in post #48, the problem is if you go in forwards you're committed to coming out backwards, or vice versa. If its windy, you're 99% guaranteed to hit or rub against about 8 other boats on the way out (or in).

Sorry but if you can't turn the boat around, that means there's no room to manoeuvre. It looks a daft set up for a brand new marina.