Northfleet Harbour project win

Can historic Northfleet Harbour be brought back to life? MDL is here to find out…

The Northfleet Harbour, situated at the mouth of the Fleet river, was first in use in Roman times, and was home to watermills from the Saxons to the Victorians. It also hosted the dawn of the cement industry. But despite these complex layers of marine, domestic and industrial heritage from 700 AD onwards, the site is now sadly derelict and much in need of sensitive restoration.

Because of our experience on projects like this both in the UK and around the world, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) and the Northfleet Harbour Restoration Trust (NHRT) have chosen MDL Marina Consultancy to look at whether the site can be reopened as a community harbour and marina. Our role is to provide specialist advice on the marine leisure market, marina design, and financial viability of the project. Conrad Broadley, the Secretary of NHRT, has said his trustees are delighted to have found such a strong team to carry out this study and give a clear steer to the project, which is to begin straight away.

We will be working alongside Peter Brett Associates (PBA) and Land Water Services Limited (LAWS) who will supply engineering and contractor advice on technical viability and the cost of construction. PBA will also give us advice on the important environmental issues at the site, as well as researching the wider benefit of a marina in this location.

Alex Beere, Head of Consultancy and Technical Services at MDL Marinas, commented: “We are very pleased to have been selected for this project. It’s an exciting opportunity, exploring the viability of re-opening the harbour to develop a marina that will be of value to the surrounding community, whilst bringing the heritage of the site to life.’