LONG-AWAITED dredging to clear silt and sand at Carmarthenshire’s Burry Port harbour, which is under temporary management, has got under way.
The company leasing the harbour from Carmarthenshire Council went into administration early last summer. Boat owners had been complaining for years about what they claimed was a lack of maintenance, culminating in a petition from campaign group Friends of Burry Port Harbour to the council calling for action.
Dredging diggers are now at the harbour to ensure that berth holders can safely sail out to the Burry Inlet and back.
The council said the harbour was under the temporary management of administrators Azets UK, and that the administration process was continuing.
“The council is working with the administrators to manage a path forward for the future operation of the harbour,” said a spokeswoman for the authority.
Friends of Burry Port Harbour’s chairman, Bob John, said it was a tricky situation but that things seemed to be heading in the right direction. He said: “There is positive evidence of progress.” He added that a barrel post at the harbour’s outer entrance was also going to be repaired.
When it presented its petition to the council in January 2023, the “friends of” group claimed that boats were regularly stuck in the harbour due to an accumulation of silt and sand , and that it had concerns about the condition of pontoons. Council chiefs said they had told leaseholder Burry Port Marina Ltd – a subsidiary of a larger marine company – that it must stick to a management plan without delay. The director of Burry Port Marina Ltd said dredging work would be carried out, while also describing the harbour as challenging and loss-making.
Five months later, in June 2023, cabinet members were told that council officers were liaising with administrators and that the authority wanted a safe, fully-functioning and attractive harbour – the same outcome as that sought by Friends of Burry Port Harbour.
Build a water holding gate in the back dock. Open it when tide is on way in. Close it at high tide and open it when the tide has gone out. Save countless failed dredging attempts
Moving the filthy slime/sludge from the harbour and dumping it on the beach, lovely 😡
Tracy Denis Law shouldn’t be allowed..ridiculous!
Ask two questions.
1 ..how much money have CCC paid contractors from 2000 – 2024 to try and clear the harbour and the entrance to the harbour?
2.. why if a system put forward in the 1990’s which will have cleared east dock,west dock,main harbour,entrance to the harbour and the new sand bar problem? Also retro fitting the system with the idea from the tidal lagoon with turbines it will have been eco friendly and the harbour been great for the last 24 years.
P.S no one will answer them questions.
Kevinj Brigden the CCC were warned about the future work that will be required to keep the harbour channel open long before the project was started!!!
Ian Williams that’s a great point. Like you I can not understand why they did not listen. Thousands of tons of sand moving towards the bay and the harbour every year and they thought it will have no effect on the harbour 😳😳
Kevinj Brigden never mind its public money that will be spent not theirs????
Ian Williams again so correct 👍🏻
What happened to the million plus that went to the company now in administration to do this work? Criminal investigation??? Or just sweep it under the Council carpet
What it needs is investment to put a sea lock gate in to prevent the build up.
That is great Roger. the most important issue every one is missing, there were two inner harbours with lock gates, plus the both had doors at the bottom and in front you had paddles which you could direct water in all direction when the water was out. This cleared all sand and silt buildup. Same happened at the small harbour, the council had the stupid idea to fill in the inner dock used to flush out sand ect.. with town rubbish. CCC save some money and put it back as soon as you can. You the CCC will profit by doing right this time, and this goes for LLanelli Docks as well. 😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬
Great news
If they had not put a sill in the harbour there would not be a problem. The harbour naturally scoured itself but the council buggered that up by not listening to the local fishermen. They put in that ugly structure. As usual a beautiful harbour destroyed by Labour.