Rockland St Mary 24-Hour Moorings – What Really Happened…
Last weekend, a local press article reported that a “row” between the Broads Authority (BA) and the landowner had led to the closure of the 24-hour moorings at Rockland St Mary.
What it did not report is that the landowner, a local charitable trust, had no prior knowledge of the article before publication. In other words, the BA appears to have briefed the press first, without warning or engaging the Trust and framed the story in a way that deflected blame.
We have now had the opportunity to hear directly from the RSM Poors Trust, who kindly set out the factual position. Their statement confirms what many suspected – the BA chose not to renew the lease unilaterally, without negotiation, and despite having previously invested in the site.
Here are the facts directly from the trust as given to us by their spokesperson:
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“There was no ‘row’ between BA and The Trust, we just received a short email stating they would not be renewing the Staithe Moorings lease, no specific reason given.”
“The BA have been paying an annual rent determined by an independent professional surveyor carried out in September 2017… the recent valuation again by an independent professional surveyor was circa 40% higher. By comparison, if we had used public domain RPI figures, the rate would have climbed +47% in the period.”
“Note the requirement to use an Independent professional surveyor is contained in the lease and is required of the Trustees in the Charity Commission act.”
“The Maintenance of the leased quays was already the responsibility of the BA in the current lease, there was nothing new at all from our side.”
“The actual lease document is a BA drafted format. The BA set the duration, not The Trust.”
“They have already made significant investment at the staithe to a high standard — quay headings, paths, electrical points, signage, mostly now wasted.”
“Short Dyke moorings are a long muddy footpath walk from the staithe (3/4 mile?) and there is nothing there bar reedbeds, no electrical power, no access for people with mobility issues, no waste collection.”
In contrast, the Village Staithe:
“Offers good access, parking, electrical points, picnic tables, seating, and is on the main village street for walks, access to Ted Ellis reserve, an excellent provisions shop & PO. The Village shop is the only shop on the Yare between Reedham & Norwich?”
The Trust also noted:
“… that the new annual lease is still a small sum of money, a couple of larger hire boat tolls?”
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So, in summary:
The rent increase was justified, professionally assessed, and still modest.
The lease included no annual escalation clause, which is why the rent had remained static for 6 years. The new valuation followed legal obligations placed upon the trustees.
No new maintenance responsibilities were imposed.
The lease itself was BA’s own standard format.
The BA had previously made significant investment in the site.
The proposed alternative (Short Dyke) is a poor substitute with problems relating to accessibility.
At BRAG, we believe the public deserves to know the facts behind decisions that impact access to vital community assets on the Southern Broads. The loss of Rockland’s 24-hour village moorings appears, in our view, to be a withdrawal disguised as a dispute, made without transparency and with little regard for the consequences to river users and local amenities.
We are grateful to the spokesperson for the RSM Poors Trust for providing clarity and confirming that they had no role in ending the lease. This is not a case of a charitable trust pricing out the Authority — it is a case of the Authority walking away, despite having made prior investment and with the opportunity to continue on fair and lawful terms.
We will continue to press for transparency, accountability, and the protection of public access on our waterways.
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