Crime, anti-social behaviour, pollution and planning issues that have blighted a stretch of river on the edge of the city have led to two councils striking a deal.
Norwich City Council has agreed to hand over jurisdiction of 3km of riverbed in and around Thorpe St Andrew to the town's council.
Overstaying on moorings and concerns for the welfare of those living on boats have also proved problematic, with the town council now taking on responsibility for the stretch of the River Yare for 50 years.
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Thorpe mayor, Fraser Bowe, said: “This lease gives the town council confidence that actions taken to improve the area will remain in place for the duration of the lease and also allow the council to act commercially to limit risk and impact on the public purse.”
The lease was announced just months after the town council succeeded in having a river-related case before the First-Tier Tribunal of the Property Chamber struck out.
The case, which came as a result of an application by local landowner Roger Wood to attain rights of parking and mooring at River Green, had taken almost two years to be decided.
Cllr Bowe continued: “The town council has tried to work with this landowner to resolve the issues being caused in the vicinity of River Green. Unfortunately, he has consistently been unwilling to engage with us.
“When this matter was considered by the council, members were surprised that whilst pursuing this meritless claim the landowner was, and continues to, pump sewage from the island into the river and is currently in default of a district council notice to remedy this.
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“There is no planning permission for the boats mooring residentially, meaning scores of people are polluting the river whilst he profits from rental income.”
Thorpe council has now instructed its solicitors to seek reclamation of costs.
Rachel McCarthy, the town council’s responsible financial officer, added: “If we are not successful at reclaiming all our costs through the courts, we will pursue these and any additional costs through other means.”
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