FOR over a year, those living on the waters of Bridgwater Docks have been facing an uncertain future.

In December 2019, the Canal and River Trust announced it would not be renewing its lease of the docks, which are owned by Somerset County Council.

The Trust said it was unable to commit to the costs of maintaining the waterway in the long term.

The decision plunged those living in the docks into uncertainty, with no clarity on what would happen to their home, though both the Trust and the council vowed to work together on finding a solution to the problem.

However, boat owners were handed notice to remove their vessels from the docks by the end of April, with discussions ongoing about what they do in the future.

The lease expired in July 2020, with the Trust continuing to operate the docks on a month-to-month basis.

Now, Bridgwater Town Council (BTC) has given an update on the situation.

After a meeting last week including all major stakeholders, steps are being taken to ensure a future for the docks - and those who live on them.

Residents' boats, of required to move for works, look set to be moored temporarily on the Bridgwater Taunton Canal and not simply removed from the waters.

Deputy leader at BTC, Councillor Kathy Pearce (Westover), has been working on the plans for the future of the area and said people should be reassured work is continuing on finding a solution that works for all.

“Bridgwater Docks is quite an unusual environment and important heritage asset to the town," she said.

"If you try to find anywhere else like it in the south west, you will struggle. The boats have been part of that and bring the docks to life with a community that has evolved.

"However, it is also obviously apparent that the condition has been allowed to deteriorate and so, things came to a head when Canal and River Trust announced that they would not be renewing their lease.

"This is certainly an unsettling time for all concerned and especially stressful for the boat owners.

"After months of discussions, we must be reassured there is a lot of detail being worked through to try to find solutions for the interim period for the boat owners and for the long term aspirations for the docks, which is to see them restored to a fully functional marina and a home to both live aboard boat owners and leisure boats alike."

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Ray Alexander, from Inland Waterways Association which provides voluntary services maintaining the area, said: "The Inland Waterways Association wishes to see a long term and sustainable future for Bridgwater Docks and supports the proposed relocation of the boats along the Bridgwater-Taunton Canal on a temporary basis, pending the future of the Docks being resolved.”

Tim Gilbert, who lives on the water at Bridgwater Docks, is a spokesperson for the boater community.

He said: “Although our best aspirations as boaters were to remain within the docks while the lease handover went through, we realise there needs to be a period of vacation to assist with the finalisation for CRT to hand the docks back to the Somerset County Council.

"(We) have been doing our best to work alongside the other boaters to ensure the best possible outcome and avoid the compete removal and upheaval of lives and community.

"The past two weeks, I have been quite taken aback by CRT’s compassion, understanding and willingness to start working with us and hope for a good relationship in the future.

"We would also like the thank the local community of Bridgwater for the support they have shown in this stressful time."

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BTC leader, Cllr Brian Smedley (Westover), said: "When it became clear that the future of the docks was in jeopardy and someone had to step in to save this crucial piece of Bridgwater’s heritage we knew that was the job of the town council.

"Somerset (county council) were keen to dispose of the site, Sedgemoor (district council) weren’t willing to take it on and so it was down to us.

"Crucial to this whole process are the boating community themselves and organisers Tim Gilbert and Ted Atkinson have been brilliant in rallying and co-ordinating the people affected.

"Finally, after our important meeting last week there’s light at the end of the tunnel, a solution is on hand and while at some point the docks will be vacant of boats, people should now not be overly concerned at the time this happens because an alternative will have been offered.

"This looks likely to be along the banks of the Bridgwater Taunton Canal rather than the boats having to be hoisted ignominiously out of the docks by crane and sent off to some dry dock or other canal location.

"We really do need boats in the dock when we take them on. I know this is all over social media right now, but we have been talking behind the scenes for a long time and things still need keeping circumspect until they’re finalised.

"I hope people will understand, and will welcome this development.”