River Hull dredging approved
Plans to dredge part of River Hull ahead of Arctic Corsair's arrival have been approved
Plans to dredge a section of the River Hull have been approved by Hull City Council. The dredging will be done to facilitate the arrival of the iconic Arctic Corsair at its new home at the North End Shipyard visitor attraction.
The new visitor attraction at the North End Shipyard, which will house the iconic vessel, is one part of the wider Hull Maritime project. The project also includes the Maritime Museum and is linked to the refurbishment of Queen’s Gardens – which is set to open in April.
Plans submitted to the council last year explained that in order for the iconic vessel to arrive at its new home, part of the River Hull would have to be dredged. The application, which has now been approved, sought permission to dredge of the section of the river between Drypool Bridge and North Bridge.
The Environment Agency had raised concerns over the dredging and the equipment that would be used during the process. Following their concerns a condition has been included in the planning permission which states: “Any marine equipment not sourced from a waterbody hydrologically connected to the River Hull must undergo a thorough examination, cleaning, and drying process for a minimum of thirty days before first use to prevent the spread of marine invasive-non-native species including the larval or adult stages of Chinese mitten crab Eriochier sinensis or zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha.”
The application also included the use of the North Bridge Dry Dock to temporarily store the dredged material, before it is later disposed of. Submitted plans said the dock “will be returned to its present state upon completion of the operation, which is estimated to take 6-12 months.”
In addition to housing the Arctic Corsair itself, the attraction will also include the newly built visitor centre. The centre has achieved the prestigious Passivhaus accreditation which recognises the building, designed by Purcell Architects, as being one of the most energy-efficient cultural buildings in the UK.
Upon the building receiving the Passivhaus accreditation, the leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross said it “is a testament to Hull’s commitment to preserving our heritage while building a greener future. The North End Shipyard Visitor Centre not only honours the city’s proud maritime past but also sets a new benchmark for sustainable cultural buildings in the UK.”