The Dover Harbour Revision Order
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-21)

On 14 February 2025, Dover Harbour Board (“the applicant”) made a formal application to the Marine Management Organisation (“the MMO”) under Section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964 for a Harbour Revision Order (“HRO”).

If made the order would amend the statutory harbour powers which apply in relation to Dover Harbour (also known as the Port of Dover) (“the Harbour”). The proposed order provides for the updated constitution of the applicant (including a reduction in Secretary of State appointments and transitional arrangements together with incidental and other changes); clarity of the general functions of the applicant; modernised powers of management and control of the Harbour to vest in the applicant including in relation to general directions and special directions for the regulation and management of the Harbour; powers to vest in the applicant relating to dredging, wrecks and moorings; modernisation of provisions relating to exemptions from ship, passenger and goods dues, power for the Board to prosecute or defend legal proceedings; modernising the definition of the limits of the Harbour; the provision of notices; a saving for Trinity House; and Crown Rights. To facilitate the above, articles 27 to 30 of the proposed order amend the legislation set out in those articles and article 31 of the proposed order revokes and repeals (as appropriate) the provisions set out in the Schedule to the proposed order.

The proposed order would not authorise the construction or alteration of a project or confer development consent. Accordingly, Council Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (as amended) which is codified by Council Directive 2011/92/EU (as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU) does not apply to the proposals and no environmental statement has been supplied.

A copy of the draft order and accompanying documents is deposited at the offices of the applicant at: Harbour House, Marine Parade, Dover CT17 9BU. These may be inspected at all reasonable hours until the expiry of the forty-two day period referred to below.

The statutory 42-day public consultation starts on 21 August 2025. As the consultation runs across 1 public holiday, the MMO is agreeable to consider consultation responses received up 1 day beyond the 42-day consultation period. The final date for consultation responses to be received is therefore 2 October 2025.

The draft order and accompanying documents are also available for inspection at the offices of the MMO in Newcastle Upon Tyne by appointment at the email address below or may be viewed on the MMO’s website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/harbour-orders-public-register

Any person desiring to make an objection or representation concerning the application should write to the Harbour Orders Team, Marine Management Organisation, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings TN34 3UY or email to xxx@xxx.xx. An objection or representation should:
- be received before the expiry of a period of 42 days starting with the date at the foot of this notice;
- be made in writing quoting reference HRO/2025/00002;
- state the grounds of the objection or representation;
- indicate who is making the objection or representation; and
- give an address to which correspondence relating to the objection or representation may be sent.