The Ferry will be operating from 4 April 2026 (Easter Saturday) until 11 October 2026.
Shoreline Management Plan – Poster and Advice
Please participate in a consultation on the revision the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) which is running from 1 October to 30 November and there are open drop-in sessions on 18 October from 1500-1900 and 19 October from 1000-1300 in the Aldeburgh Community Centre. We have a chance to comment on the proposed revision to the Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) policy for the area to the south of the Aldeburgh Martello Tower. (SMP unit ORF15.1 Sudbourne Beach). Many members will be aware just how vulnerable the section of coast south of the Martello Tower has become and how close the sea has been to breaching the shingle bank through to the river. The SMP is the government policy guiding coastal defence around the entire English and Welsh coast. The section south of the Martello Tower down Orford Ness has been formally reviewed, following the completion of the Alde and Ore Estuary Plan to implement refurbishment of the river walls to be able to withstand overtopping in a 1:200 year surge. The proposal is to change the SMP policy for this part of the coast, which is currently No Active Intervention from the year 2025 (i.e. spend no money, do nothing to counter erosion) to Managed Realignment. This recommendation from the Suffolk Coast Forum is designed to avoid a permanent breach from forming by providing resilience against erosion. A permanent breach would change the river very dramatically, increasing the vulnerability of the estuary area to flooding with consequences for houses, land, water aquifers, walking, the environmental habitats and sailing and other water activities: so it would transform the river as we know it. A policy of Managed Realignment would allow action to be taken to sustain the shingle shore bank. Alde and Ore Association members are therefore encouraged to support the proposed amendment, in writing if looking in at the drop-in sessions is not possible, during the consultation period which ends on 30 November. It may also be helpful to add supportive comments giving one or two reasons for your support such as: A revised policy is crucial to the life of the estuary It is vital to support the Alde Ore Estuary Partnership plan You value the safe sailing environment provided by the river You love the tranquil estuary as it is now Important to the economy of the area If you cannot attend the drop- in consultation please visit https://www.coasteast.org.uk/our-work/current-consultations/ where you will find more information and a feedback form. There is an information booklet at https://www.coasteast.org.uk/media/1422/slaughden-booklet-2019.pdf Alternatively you can email coastalmanagement@eastsuffolk.gov.uk with your reply. Alison Andrews, Chairman of the Alde and Ore Association
Coastal Path: start of local consultations
Natural England are holding two open sessions to start taking views on the route of the coastal path between Aldeburgh and Bawdsey. Thereafter consultations will continue with land owners and interested groups until the proposed route is identified and submitted to the Secretary of State in the summer of 2018. After that there will be formal 8 week consultation and then a consideration of views given before a final decision is taken. The first open days are Tuesday 17 October 2017 at Snape Village Hall, Church Road, IP17 1SX from 10am -1pm Monday 30 October at Hollesley Village Hall, Woodbridge Road IP12 3QR from 1pm to 4pm For more detail the link to the Natural England site is www.gov.uk/englandcoastpath.
Four Foot Ferries of Suffolk Bike Ride: Saturday 16th September
A four ferries bike ride is being arranged for Saturday, 16th September as part of the Estuary Trust’s work in raising funds for the river defences. The ride of some 42 miles will cross all of the Four Foot Ferries of Suffolk, including the Association’s Butley Ferry. For full details including registration forms and guidance notes, please Click here.
Visit the Alde and Ore Estuary Trust at the Suffolk Show
The AOEP Fund Raising team have agreed a strategy to raise £12 million needed to help defend the estuary. The main fundraising launch will be in the autumn and between now and October there will be a series of events starting with a stand at the Suffolk Show (31st May -1st June). A substantial amount has already been committed and the Association have already pledged David Andren’s legacy of £630,000 to The Estuary Trust for work in the Orford area. To see full details of the AOEP developments, click here.
BBC program on the bomb and Orfordness
Members may be interested to know that there was a program on BBC4 on 3rd May on “Britain’s Nuclear Bomb: The Inside Story” which includes Orfordness’ part in the testing of the bomb. The programme features interviews with veterans and scientists who took part in the atomic bomb programme, some speaking for the first time, and newly released footage of the British atomic bomb tests. The program is available on the BBC Iplayer until 2nd June.
AOEP meeting in Aldeburgh on Wednesday 29th March
ALL WELCOME – OPEN MEETING ALDEBURGH RIVER WALL AND THE ESTUARY PLAN WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2017 5.30 PM ALDEBURGH CHURCH HALL This meeting provides the opportunity to hear about the plans for the river defences on the Aldeburgh Marsh wall, which is so vital to the town. The meeting will be chaired by Peter Palmer, Aldeburgh Town Councillor and speakers will include members of the Alde and Ore Estuary Partnership, the Environment Agency and Internal Drainage Board (who are responsible for the Aldeburgh Wall upgrading). The meeting will end about 7.30pm Alde and Ore Estuary Partnership and Aldeburgh Town Council To see the Agenda, click here
Snape Maltings Masterplan
Snape Maltings are currently seeking to talk to as many local residents and stakeholders as possible about their proposed plans for development of the Maltings site and associated car parking, to find out how the ideas might be viewed. There are no formal proposals as yet: Snape Maltings are sounding out local views now, well before any planning application stage, to help inform any decisions they make about working up ideas further. The plans are not yet firm enough for the Alde and Ore Association to take a position.
Jumbo’s Cottage revised application
A new variation on the plans for Jumbo’s Cottage has been submitted. Reference DC/17/0417/VOC . It now omits digging out the ground underneath the site for what would have been a car park and under-room which would have been damaging environmentally and also costly but the variation would mean that there would now be a large glass fronted building overlooking the estuary. To read the Association’s objections to the Variation please click here. Comments should be sent to the SCDC Planning Department, Case Officer Dean Baker, d.c.admin@eastsuffolk.gov.uk or Planning and Coastal Management, SCDC, Melton Hill, Woodbridge, IP12 1 AU by 2 March 2017.
SCAR AGM to be held on 4th March
Suffolk Coast Against Retreat (SCAR) is holding its 2017 AGM at the Riverside Centre, Stratford St Andrew, IP17 1LL at 10.30am on Saturday, 4th March. The guest speaker will be Thérèse Coffey, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for flooding and rural affairs. This should be an interesting meeting and all are welcome; if you would like to attend, please email louisa@outlook.in. To see the poster giving details of the meeting, please click here.