Consultation planned on introducing a Harbour Revision Order for Exeter

Published: 26 May 2023

The City Council is preparing to consult on introducing a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) for Exeter.

A HRO is a set of rules which govern what the authority can do and the powers that it has within the boundaries of the harbour in Exeter.

A harbour is defined as any natural or artificial harbour, port, haven, estuary, tidal or other river or inland waterway navigated by sea-going ships. It also includes docks and wharves.

Harbour Orders are a form of delegated legislation which either amends or introduces new harbour legislation. They confer powers on the harbour authority for the purpose of improving, maintaining or managing a harbour.

The process of introducing a Harbour Revision Order for Exeter is expected to take several years to complete and represents a significant change to the way waterways have been managed in the past.

Everyone will be given the opportunity to have their say when formal consultation is launched at a date to be arranged. More details will be announced shortly.

Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for Waterways, said: “It is very important that the Council has the necessary powers to ensure the effective and efficient management of the city’s waterways, and a Harbour Revision Order is designed to achieve this.

“It is very important that everyone gets to have a say on this issue through the various stages of consultation, and I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to do so.”

If anyone would like to raise any issues concerning a Harbour Revision Order at this stage, or requires any more information, they should email Exeter’s Harbour Master Grahame Forshaw at grahame.forshaw@exeter.gov.uk