Project record

Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary 2026 maintenance dredging

Participation
Awarded
Participation checked

The Harbour Master's 22 June 2026 report confirms Van Oord completed dredging at Batson, Lincombe and Kingsbridge, with pontoons reopened by April; published draft meeting minutes record subsequent receipt of the post-dredge survey

Participation source

Salcombe Harbour Authority's report to the 22 June 2026 board meeting confirms Van Oord completed the quinquennial dredging at Batson, Lincombe and Kingsbridge. A consistent basin finish allowed rapid pontoon reinstatement and reopening by April. The report was awaiting the post-dredge survey; published draft minutes record its subsequent receipt. The signed contract value remains GBP 101,600 excluding VAT, or GBP 121,920 including VAT. Accepted hydrographic levels, final account and supplier payment remain unconfirmed.

Official Salcombe Harbour Authority view of sailing vessels at Salcombe Harbour moorings in the Kingsbridge estuary, Devon

Salcombe Harbour Authority; estuary and mooring context image, not evidence of 2026 dredging mobilisation or completion

Location

United Kingdom / Europe

Segment

Maintenance dredging and operating-port access

Phase

Award / Confirmed

Last checked

3 November 2026

Coverage

Related sectors

Maintenance dredging and operating-port access is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.

Subject index

Related subjects

These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.

Project anatomy

Contract scope and delivery roles

Client / authority
South Hams District Council on behalf of Salcombe Harbour Authority
Procurement references
RQ/499; ocds-h6vhtk-05dac3; 021748-2026
Delivery parties
Van Oord UK Limited - confirmed 2026 contractor, Companies House 01805156, Van Oord / Van Oord UK Ltd - confirmed supplier on separate 2015 and 2021 Salcombe dredging awards; those earlier contracts are context only, Hydrographic survey, environmental monitoring, marine plant and any other downstream parties for the 2026 contract - not identified in the cited sources
Contract route
Procurement reference RQ/499 used a below-threshold open competition under the Procurement Act 2023 and OCID ocds-h6vhtk-05dac3. The tender weighted price at 60% and quality at 40% and sought one supplier. The contract-details notice names Van Oord UK Limited and dates signature to 11 March 2026.
Execution window
The November 2025 tender estimated 15 January to 12 March 2026; the signed-contract record gives an estimated 11 March to 11 May period. The 22 June Harbour Master report records later-than-planned deployment following bad weather and a mechanical fault, completed dredging and pontoon reopening by April. Exact work dates and the duration attributable to each delay cause are not stated.
Works package
Maintenance dredging at Batson Creek, Lincombe and Kingsbridge within the Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary, reported complete by the Harbour Master. The tender expected water injection dredging; the cited owner text does not specify the actual method, achieved volume or accepted hydrographic levels. A separate 2021 contract specified at least 7,500 cubic metres at Batson and Lincombe; that quantity retains its historical scope.
Marine interfaces
The Harbour Authority describes a busy estuary extending from the sea to Kingsbridge and used by bathers, paddlers, dinghies, yachts, power boats, superyachts, ferries and a shell-fishing fleet. The 2026 package therefore sits within live navigation and a sensitive estuary. A 2015 tender imposed method and environmental-monitoring boundaries, but those historical terms should not be represented as the current contract's conditions unless the 2026 documents are published.
Commercial evidence boundary
The tender estimate was GBP 99,999 excluding VAT and GBP 120,000 including VAT; the signed value is GBP 101,600 excluding VAT and GBP 121,920 including VAT. The June draft minutes place recent dredging expenditure in the 2026/27 year-end report and anticipate delivery within the approved budget. Assessed amounts, variations, final account, supplier payment and lower-tier allocation remain unknown.

Contract and delivery chain

Work packages and named roles

Published scope, named parties and supporting evidence for each workstream.

2026 works contract

RQ/499 South Hams Dredging

Named party
Van Oord UK Limited
Evidence status
Confirmed
Source position
The official OCDS record reports a GBP 101,600 excluding-VAT contract, GBP 121,920 including VAT, signature on 11 March 2026 and estimated end on 11 May 2026. Source
Tendered scope

Batson Creek, Lincombe and Kingsbridge maintenance dredging

Named party
South Hams District Council for Salcombe Harbour Authority
Evidence status
Reported
Source position
The UK4 tender identified the three locations and said WID was expected. It did not confirm the method ultimately used or publish a current quantity. Source
Schedule baseline

Tender programme versus signed contract

Named party
South Hams District Council
Evidence status
Confirmed
Source position
The tender estimated 15 January to 12 March 2026; the signed record instead runs 11 March to 11 May 2026. The later end date is not a completion certificate. Source
Historical recurrence

2021 Batson and Lincombe WID contract

Named party
Van Oord
Evidence status
Confirmed
Source position
A separate Contracts Finder release records a GBP 43,250 Van Oord award and tender scope of at least 7,500 cubic metres at Batson and Lincombe by WID. It is not the 2026 quantity or completion evidence. Source
Historical method boundary

2015-2016 Salcombe Harbour estuary dredging

Named party
Van Oord UK Ltd
Evidence status
Confirmed
Source position
A separate GBP 60,000 award followed a tender allowing water agitation, WID or an environmentally no-more-damaging alternative and requiring avoidance of persistent dense fluid mud. Those terms are historical context only. Source
Physical delivery

Batson, Lincombe and Kingsbridge dredging and pontoon reinstatement

Named party
Salcombe Harbour Authority and Van Oord UK Limited
Evidence status
Confirmed
Source position
The 22 June Harbour Master report, section 3.5.2, records completed dredging after delayed deployment following bad weather and a mechanical fault. Basin consistency allowed quick pontoon reinstatement and reopening by April. Exact work dates, achieved quantity and accepted levels are not given. Source
Post-dredge survey and account

Survey receipt and 2026/27 expenditure reporting

Named party
Salcombe Harbour Authority / South Hams District Council
Evidence status
Reported
Source position
Published draft minutes for the 22 June meeting, SH.07/26, record that the survey had just been received and that recent dredging expenditure would enter the 2026/27 year-end report. The account was anticipated to remain within budget; survey acceptance, final amount and payment are not stated. Source

Project timeline

Material developments

Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.

Open this project in the Change Log

Harbour Board records completed dredging and survey receipt

The Harbour Master report confirms completed works and pontoon reopening by April. The published draft meeting minutes subsequently record survey receipt and expected 2026/27 expenditure reporting; accepted levels, formal acceptance and supplier payment remain unconfirmed.

Source

Van Oord signed the 2026 dredging contract

The signed contract records Van Oord UK Limited, GBP 101,600 excluding VAT and an estimated period through 11 May 2026. The later owner report supplies physical delivery evidence.

Source

Tender named three work areas and expected WID

South Hams identified Batson Creek, Lincombe and Kingsbridge, but the notice described the method and programme as expectations rather than completed work.

Source

A prior Batson and Lincombe WID contract went to Van Oord

The GBP 43,250 award demonstrates a recurring buyer-supplier and method history but does not establish 2026 scope, plant or completion.

Source

Van Oord UK received an earlier three-area estuary contract

The GBP 60,000 award and its environmental method boundary provide historical precedent only and must not be carried forward as current contractual evidence.

Source

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • Actual start and completion dates, plant and dredging method
  • Measured quantities by Batson Creek, Lincombe and Kingsbridge
  • Received post-dredge survey and accepted hydrographic levels
  • Environmental monitoring and sediment-dispersion controls
  • Formal completion and owner acceptance records
  • 2026/27 assessed or final account and item-specific supplier payment
  • Survey, monitoring, support-vessel and other downstream parties

Related records 2

Reporting status

Project phase
Award
Evidence confidence
Confirmed
Last checked
3 November 2026
Cited sources
10

Sources and related records

Project changes Methodology Email a correction Project tracker
Source collections

Project sources 10