Southwold Harbour to be signed back
AN historic harbour which has been the subject of an ownership dispute for more than six years looks likely to be handed back to the people of Southwold in the New Year.
AN historic harbour which has been the subject of an ownership dispute for more than six years looks likely to be handed back to the people of Southwold in the New Year.
The harbour has been run by Waveney District Council since the 1970s, but Southwold Town Council has been battling for several years to get it signed back over to residents.
The dispute over the land began in 2003 when Waveney declared it wanted to sell the caravan site at the harbour, saying it would cost too much money to being it up to modern standards.
The suggestion angered many local people, who said that the land had been left in trust to the townspeople and was not the council's to sell.
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Last year, Waveney agreed to set the hand-over process in motion and now 12 months later, the council looks set to finally write to the secretary of state so the harbour can be handed over to the newly-formed Southwold Harbour Lands Trust.
A report which will be discussed by Waveney's cabinet on Thursday said: 'Part of the transfer process will require an application for approval from the secretary of state. It is proposed that an initial letter is sent by the council to the secretary of state by the end of the year confirming the intention of returning Southwold harbour undertaking to local management.'
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As well as formally deciding whether to send the letter, the cabinet will consider whether to offer a �25,000 loan or grant to the trust to help its development and whether to form a harbour committee working group, made up of councillors and trust members, to help the transfer run smoothly.
