Temporary closure of slipway to fill voids
Oct. 2025
The slipway at Admiral’s Hard is to close for a short period of time to enable rock armour to be filled into a large void created by the sea.
From Monday 10 November Cremyll Ferry passengers bound for Mount Edgcumbe will need to take the boat from Royal William Yard. The closure is the second part of a programme of work on the structure and is expected to last between four and six weeks, depending on the tide and weather.
Earlier this year the slipway was closed for several months to enable stabilisation work. A section of sheet piling on the slip’s wall had collapsed, releasing a quantity of stone infill into the water, preventing the ferries from using the slip.
Specialist marine engineers were deployed to carry out repairs and at the same time carried out a more detailed survey to plan for more work.
The earlier work acted as preparation work for this next phase which will entail filling a void – running some 25 metres along the slipway – with rock armour.
High-Tech Services Ltd have been commissioned by the Council to advise and design the work, which will be carried out by JNE contractors. High-Tech’s Principal Conservation Engineer/Surveyor Pete Grills said:
“We will be notching out a section of the deck and putting in large pieces of granite inside the slip structure as vertically as possible.
More stone filter material will then be used to fill the gaps between the blocks as the layers progress before the marine grade grout will be used to seal it.
Between 200 and 250 tonnes of granite will be used to fill the void which has been created by years of wave action. It got worse when the sheet piling on the side of the wall failed – enabling sea water to rush in and pull out more and more stone infill”, he explained and added: “It is quite a significant void, but adopting this approach will strengthen the slip and extend its life.”
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member with responsibility for assets said:
“This slipway is submerged underwater as the tide ebbs and flows. But it is an important asset to the city because of the historic Cremyll Ferry link.
We aim to do this work when fewer people are expected to use the crossing in November. We would like to thank Plymouth Boat Trips, their staff and their passengers for their patience while we carry out this important repair work.”
Ben Squire, Managing Director of Plymouth Boat Trips, who run the Cremyll Ferry said:
“Having previously operated the Cremyll Ferry from Royal William Yard Marina effectively, we have been able to immediately put in place this temporary diversion.
We thank Plymouth City Council for its swift action to complete the necessary works to Admirals Hard slipway and Royal William Yard for its assistance in accommodating the rerouted service.
We would like to reassure our passengers that Plymouth Boat Trips will work to ensure there is no disruption to the Cremyll Ferry service during this time. Any updates to our ferry services will be provided on our website and via our social media channels.”
