Access route at heart of Ben Houchen legal claim used to repair iconic breakwater

The South Gare breakwater, at the mouth of the River Tees, was seriously damaged during the stormy weather with work to repair it expected to continue into 2024 as weather permits. The company has pledged £1.5m to fix the damage.

The Gare is a man-made peninsula reclaimed from the sea with waste from the then-fledgling iron industry in the nineteenth century. The lighthouse at its tip was built in 1884 and is still operational to this day. Today the area is a popular beauty spot which attracts rare birds. The land itself is owned by Statutory Port Authority, PD Ports.

Frans Calje, chief executive officer of PD Ports, said: “The conditions at South Gare during Storm Babet can only be described as extraordinary. The scale of the forces that hit the structure that day are hard to imagine – huge concrete blocks were tossed about like pebbles.”

As Statutory Port Authority, PD Ports has a statutory duty to maintain channel depths and safe passage to Teesport - including maintenance of the South Gare and its lighthouse. Access to the Gare can only be made across the former Redcar steelworks site which was bought by public body South Tees Development Corporation (STDC), which is chaired by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.

STDC and PD Ports are currently awaiting the outcome of a High Court judge’s decision after the former took the harbour company to court over the issue of access rights across its landholdings.

PD Ports maintains it has a historic right across STDC’s land to discharge its statutory duties, such as repairing and maintaining its property. Meanwhile STDC has argued a judge should decide if that’s true. Mr Justice Rajah is expected to deliver his verdict on the case in the new year. If the development corporation loses, it could end up paying £4.9m in legal fees.​​​​​​​

Jerry Hopkinson, executive chairman at PD Ports, said: “Our role as Statutory Harbour Authority is one that we take tremendously seriously and we are committed to protecting the gare, the river and its business community.

“We are prepared to do what is necessary to strengthen the gare and keep it functioning for many more years to come.”