Improvement Plan 2024 to 2026
Delivery of these plans is dependent on the availability of funds. Dunbar Harbour Trust is a small charity, run by volunteers.
The improvement objectives for 2024/25 are:
• Securing the Cromwell Harbour Sea Defences
• Securing the Victoria Harbour Sea Defences
• Securing the Broadhaven breakwater
• Safety Gates at Cromwell harbour
• Storm gates at bridge
• Gate at enjoy leisure car park
• Railings at bridge where the bike racks are
• Repair the cobbles on the Cromwell hard standing
• Slipway water supply for wash downs
• Consolidation of the Dunbar Castle rock
There are many ideas that the Harbour Trust Board is working on. Some of these are listed below, but suggestions from the public are always welcome via office@dunbarharbourtrust.co.uk The plan is an evolutionary one, and these ideas have come from feed-back from the general public, as well as from harbour users.
Work-in-progress:
• Replacement of Broadhaven breakwater
• The viability of public toilets at the harbour
• Chain replacements for Victoria Harbour moorings
• Pontoons
• Kayak/SUP storage
• Dunbar Harbour Castle conservation
• Maintenance facilities for all users
The Trust is very grateful for all of the donations it receives from the general public. These help the charity to deliver on-going improvements to the harbour we all love.
Dunbar Castle
In its heyday, after the loss of Berwick in 1482 and in the aftermath of the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513, Dunbar Castle was the most important castle in Scotland till it was dismantled in 1561 by Act of Parliament. Today the dismantled remains of the ‘impregnable’ Castle and Albany Fort are greatly under-appreciated and in need of careful conservation and good interpretation. Due to the strength of the mortar the original construction is more robust than it appears, and the amount of loose or dangerous masonry is relatively limited. A programme of repairs to make the ruins safe and preserve them is being pursued by the Dunbar Harbour Trust. Possibilities for making the remarkable sea cave, the internal passage to the top of the Castle and the Albany Fort accessible are also in scope.
This will be a multi-million pound project, and it will help fund-raising if it can be shown that many private donors had sufficient interest to contribute to this exciting project themselves. (See ‘Donations’ tab). The early financial support of Community Windpower Ltd and the Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership has made this project possible.
Branders for the small fishing boats
Branders are tall oak timbers with strong rubber ‘fenders’, designed to keep boats afe as they rise and fall with the swell and the tide. Out tides are 5 metres, sometime with an addition 1 metre swell. That’s a lot of rising and falling!
Cromwell Harbour has always been the safe haven for our fishing fleet and with the flourishing fishing industry in Dunbar it is increasingly important to make the mooring facilities better and safer for our smaller boats.
Harbour Wall repairs
The North Sea constantly threatens our sea walls in Dunbar and, with the support of Marine Scotland, Dunbar Harbour Trust adopts a ‘stitch in time’ policy, recognising that regular small repairs help to minimise the chances of a crisis caused by a breach in any of the walls.
The Broadhaven breakwater has recently been built up further.
Environmental and educational opportunities
Depending on the success of grant applications there are plans:
- To improve the harbour environment, in particular with a view to reducing the amount of plastic in the sea
- To educate the school children through active projects to understand more about marine life around Dunbar.
- To encourage active travel to and from the harbour.
- The Harbour Management has recently approved the installation of a cute-looking bike rack.