Wivenhoe Town Council’s Strategy and Policy for the Quay  -  October 2005

These notes detail the Town Council’s policy and objectives concerning the Quay, taken to mean the stretch of land from Bath Street to and including The Folly. This document is an updated version of one dated April 2001 that had consolidated the ideas and feelings of many interested parties developed since the Town Council became actively involved with issues concerning the Quay in the early 1980s.  In essence, the Town Council’s policy and objectives have not changed at all since being encapsulated in the previous document adopted by the Council in April 2001.

1.      In 1987, the Town Council requested Mr Charles Parlett, a Quay frontager and a partner of Parlett, Kent & Co, a firm of solicitors in London, to conduct research into the ownership of the Quay.  With the co-operation of the other frontagers, he examined the title deeds of many of the properties fronting the Quay.  He wrote to the Council on 7th December 1987 to say that he had seen originals or photocopies of title documents of 10 properties situated between Bath Street and The Folly and could ‘confirm that the freeholds of those parts of the Quay fronting the same have for upwards of twenty years been conveyed to and vested in the owners of the respective properties’. 

2.      The title deeds referred to a public right of way across these frontages, the ‘width of a tumbril’.  In discussions with the frontagers at this time, the Town Council deemed this width to be 9 feet.  In any case, Essex County Council recognises the Quay as a public highway.

3.      The Town Council is much less concerned about ownership than ensuring people are able to walk and enjoy all of the parts of the Quay that are presently unrestricted.  Ownership becomes an issue to the extent that there is a responsibility on owners to keep the Quay in good repair, especially if members of the public have access. 

4.      The Town Council would like to see the open part of the Quay, that is between the British Legion building and Rose Lane kept open and accessible to the public without hindrance save for seats and various flower tubs and other items which have long been part of the Quay.

5.      Therefore the Council would be opposed to any attempt by a frontager to enclose any further parts of the Quay to prevent pedestrian access.  

6.      The Town Council would like to see access to motor vehicles using the Quay restricted to just those belonging to residents, delivery vehicles, service vehicles and emergency service vehicles.  Under this proposal, all other vehicles, including motor-bikes, not to be allowed on the Quay in order to promote access and safety to pedestrians.  

7.      The Town Council would like to extend this restriction to Bath Street and Quay Street and at a minimum to install means that will discourage casual visitors from using these roads. 

8.      The Town Council would like the traffic priority changed at the junction between High Street and Station Road so that vehicles coming down the High Street from its junction with Belle Vue Road automatically flow down Station Road and not down that part of the High Street by St Mary’s Church. We believe this will prevent large vehicles especially from getting trapped on Anchor Hill or The Quay, or other vehicles unnecessarily progressing to The Quay.   

9.      The Town Council is in favour of restricting parking on the Quay for motor cars and motor bikes by the use of physical obstructions as bollards, flower tubs and other appropriate items.

10.     The Town Council would like to see a two specially designated parking spaces at the bottom of Anchor Hill, by the Sailing Club Hard, for holders of ‘orange’ badges.

11.     The Town Council is opposed in principle to the use of street signs on the Quay as far as is possible, believing them to detract from the aesthetic appearance of the area.

12.     The Town Council would like to see cycle racks installed on the Quay.

13.     The Town Council is aware that cyclists can be a hazard to pedestrians using the Quay as well as motor-cars, since cyclists can be silent as they approach pedestrians from behind.  The Town Council remains committed to the idea of means to reduce the speed of cyclists and encourage safe cycling, and will consider any practical suggestions to achieve these objectives.

14.     Rose Lane . The land at the end of Rose Lane is not owned by any frontager.  It has been bollarded off with the consent of the Town Council as it makes it available for the public and not available for car parking.

15.     The Hard at the end of Bethany Street . The Town Council supports the idea of continuing public ownership of the Hard at the end of Bethany Street but would not want to see any active encouragement of the use of the Hard, believing that active use would lead to problems with access to it.

16.     Events on the Quay.  The Town Council believes there should be a balance between those who live along the Quay and the remaining population of Wivenhoe who enjoy the character of the Quay.  For a great many years, the Quay area has been used to host such great public events as the Town Regatta.  The Town Council is conscious that the number of events held on the Quay to which the public at large are invited to attend has grown.  

         The Town Council would therefore like a guideline to be generally adopted which means:

a)  there should be no more than 8 events on the Quay during any calendar year

b)  events should not be held on consecutive week-ends

c)  there should be adequate stewards appointed for any event to ensure the safety of the public 

d)  the event organisers should be responsible for clearing up any rubbish on the Quay after the public have dispersed.

e)  ‘entertainment’ other than that which might fall into the category of an ‘event’ be minimal, non-regular, and mindful of the need to recognise the desires of people living along the Quay, and in the vicinity of it, for the quiet enjoyment of their surroundings.  

Wivenhoe Town Council
October 2005