Frequently Asked Questions - Burnham-on-Crouch Pontoon
- What happened to the previous structure?
The floating pontoon was damaged beyond repair following storm Eunice in February 2022.
- Why was it fenced off so we couldn’t go crabbing?
It had to be secured for everyone’s safety as damage meant that the area was unstable.
- Why wasn’t it just replaced?
Sadly, the insurance company would not pay to replace the pontoon and the Council did not have the funds for the work. The Council has since secured external funding for the project.
- How is the Council funding this project?
The funding is coming from a Government fund called the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
- When can I see the plans?
The pontoon will be reinstalled on the same footprint as before. A planning application for this is due to be submitted in early February and a link to that, including the proposed design, will be available here as soon as it is available.
- When will it be finished?
We expect for the pontoon to be in place by the end of 2024.
- Why is it taking so long?
As explained above, we were unable to move forward until we had arranged the necessary funding and resources. At the outset of this project, the Council had ambitions to expand our requirements beyond what was there before, however budget constraints have meant this has not been possible and we are now pushing forward with a refurbish/replacement project to ensure a pontoon can be reinstated as quickly as possible.
As the final specification has now been agreed, work has been underway to submit a planning application in early February. We are working with our partners such as the Environment Agency and the Crouch Harbour Authority to ensure the pontoon is in place at the earliest possible time.
- Will we still be able to crab from it?
Yes
- Will it be the same as the last one?
Yes, the pontoon will have the same footprint as the previous pontoon, however the replacement will benefit from safety guardrails either side and the latest non-slip decking fitted to the access bridge. Public safety has been at the forefront of every conversation we have had regarding this new pontoon.
- Will the ferry/boat trips still use it?
Yes, we will encourage local operators to use the pontoon.
- Do the Sea Wall and Town Steps need repairing?
The sea wall is owned and maintained by the Environment Agency. They carried out a survey of the sea wall and Town Steps last year and found that they are stable.
The existing infrastructure for the pontoon will be re-used with no impact to the seawall.
- How are you meeting your climate action commitments with regards to this project?
We are refurbishing and reinstalling existing materials as far as we are able. For example, we have been storing the access bridge that was saved when the previous pontoon was destroyed. This will be refurbished and reinstalled using existing fixings. This has enabled us to reduce this project’s environmental impact as well as keep costs down.
- How will residents be kept informed?
We will be updating our webpage www.maldon.gov.uk/pontoon with updates on the project as soon as they are available.
- MDC advised that the public would be asked for their views on the pontoons proposed replacement – is this still happening?
Unfortunately following the cost appraisal of implementing a new design proposal, it was concluded that we do not have the budget in our UKSPF allocation to expand the design or footprint of the pontoon beyond a replacement and refurbishment (other than some necessary health and safety enhancements) and so we won’t be asking the community for their views on this occasion as we will not be able to implement them.
However, we are pleased that the pontoon will be reinstated for the town to allow the public access to the water’s edge again, and that this will be done in the quickest possible time. A planning application will be submitted this month and once available, details of this will be available on the Councils website which includes drawings of how the pontoon will look once in place.