Since the staithe won village green status in 2005 Cantley Parish Council has been working with the Broads Authority to develop it into a landscaped community area with seating and picnic tables overlooking the river.
An appeal is now being launched to raise £35,000 for a finger pontoon which will provide temporary moorings for launched craft, seven permanent moorings, and fishing facilities for people of all abilities. It will be floated in front of new quay heading on the site of the old staithe.
Work to redevelop the derelict staithe as a village amenity is being carried out by BESL (Broadland Environmental Services Ltd) as part of the creation of new flood defences in front of the British Sugar factory at Cantley.
At the moment there is only one other public slipway on the River Yare and the Cantley slipway, which is near a water ski zone, will provide a much needed free amenity for dinghy sailors, canoeists, water skiers and anglers.
Robert Beadle, parish council chairman said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to attract more people to the river and our riverside pub. We hope to encourage youth groups such as Scouts to use the facilities and the annual Cantley Regatta, which is at present confined to broads cruisers, would be able to include dinghy racing. It is intended that the pontoon, which will be wheelchair friendly, can also be used for fishing.”
Lesley Marsden, Broads Authority Landscape Architect said: “This is a multi partnership project which has been a long time in the feasibility, design and fundraising stages. Its ultimate success will be due to the hard work of the community members of the project team led by Robert Beadle. I believe it will be the first new public slipway for a good number of years.”
The £270,000 Cantley Staithe Project has been financed by two landfill communities fund schemes, Biffaward and WREN, Broadland District Council, the Broads Authority, the Inland Waterways Association, Cantley Parish Council, and the Environment Agency Fisheries with help in kind from British Sugar the Broads Authority and the Environment Agency.
The Cantley Staithe Management Group, comprising respresentatives from the Reedcutter pub, British Sugar, the Broads Authority, Cantley Parish Council and local volunteers, will be responsible for allocating permanent moorings and the maintenance of the staithe.
Reproduced by kind permission of Broads Authority
