Go to hull – Only the most ‘aesthetically pleasing’ boats will be allowed to moor in Thorpe St Andrew

River Green in Thorpe St Andrew. PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: ©archant2016)

But now a town council appears to have taken a similar approach towards boats wishing to moor along a river bank near Norwich.

Thorpe St Andrew Town Council is to begin assessing vessels based on their appearance should they wish to park alongside River Green.

And only the most 'aesthetically pleasing' will be allowed to permanently stay there.

It is part of a new management plan for 223m of quayheading, near Yarmouth Road in Thorpe St Andrew, which has come into the council's ownership.

From this year, the council needs to try and raise £10,000 per annum in order to keep the quay adequately maintained.

Various ideas have been put forward to achieve this, including the introduction of an electric hire boat scheme on the River Yare.

But councillors have also agreed to allow a certain number of people to permanently moor on the bank - should their boats meet the standard.

Thomas Foreman, town clerk, said: 'The council wants aesthetically pleasing boats which are kept to a high standard.

'The boats will have to be inspected and checked to make sure they meet the criteria that the council lays out.'

Owners would need to submit a photo of their vessel prior to any mooring agreement being made.

While the council will be the 'sole judge' of what is considered to be attractive, specific guidelines are yet to be set out.

Mr Foreman said the idea was to ensure the scenic views from River Green would not be spoiled for people living in the town.

Under the new proposals, people wishing to apply for long-stay annual private moorings will have to pay either:

n £10 per ft per annum for boats owned by Thorpe ratepayers.

n £15 per ft per annum for non-Thopre ratepayers.

The quay heading, which was handed back to the council this year for the first time in decades by the Broads Authority, features 22 moorings.

Roger Wood, who owns Jenner's Basin at the nearby Thorpe Island, said: 'I think if they use a section of River Green for boats it will upset a lot of people. It's popular with people feeding the ducks and swans.'

What else is being proposed?

A number of initiatives have been proposed for River Green in order to help cover £10,000 in maintenance costs.

One of the bigger schemes being considered is the introduction of electric-powered hire boats.

The joint venture, between Freedom Boating Holidays and MBA Marine would allow people to hire vessels for several hours at a time.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the council also looked at the possibility of allowing short stay moorings at River Green.

In order to obtain money from visitors wishing to moor up, a collection box could be installed for people to donate into. The council also put forward an idea to tax people living on Thorpe Island.

At present they are able to tie their dingies to the quay when visiting mainland, but the council is considering installing a pontoon which they would have to tie their boats to instead. The islanders would have to pay for the moorings.

Other exclusive ports

Thorpe St Andrew isn't the only place in the world hoping to attract high-end vessels.

These five marinas are also well-known for their exclusive clientele.

• Marina di Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy - The port offers space for up to 60 superyachts, and berthing fees costs more than £2,000 each day.

• Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi - Situated on Yas Island, the marina is large enough for 227 boats and caters for superyachts up to 150m in length.

• Puerto Banús in Marbella, Spain - Covering an area of 150,000 square metres, boat owners can pay up to £2,000 each day.

• Marina di Portofino, Italy - Once a small fishing village, this exclusive marina only has 14 berths and costs up to £2,654 per space.

• Marina di Capri, Italy - Arguably one of the most expensive marinas, costing more than £3,100 each day in fees.