A new pier at Putney that sparked a coordinated campaign from Britain’s rowing community is entering the final stages of approval, with a public consultation opening on New Year’s Day.
Thames Clippers (operating as Uber Boat) has applied for a marine licence to build the new pier on Putney Embankment, the last major regulatory hurdle before construction can begin. The company says the project will improve accessibility for wheelchair users and could enable more frequent services to west London.
The consultation, which runs until 29 January 2026, focuses on marine construction impacts rather than the principle of development, which Wandsworth Council approved in March 2023.
What the new pier would deliver
The new structure, to be called Putney Bridge Pier, would sit alongside the existing Putney Pier and is designed to address accessibility problems with the current stop. Thames Clippers says the existing pier, owned by Livett’s Launches, is often too steep for wheelchair users due to tidal variation on the gangway.
A spokesperson for the company said a new pier would “allow us to future-proof the Putney river bus route and to explore a more frequent off-peak and weekend service in Putney. This will help more Londoners enjoy fast, convenient commutes and day trip journeys by river.”
The project forms part of Thames Clippers’ broader expansion, backed by £59 million in funding secured in 2025 for new vessels and pier infrastructure. The company already operates weekday peak services to Putney via the RB6 route and added weekend services in 2023.
How the design addresses rowing concerns
When planning permission was sought, the rowing community mounted a coordinated campaign against the project. The application attracted 74 objections and just five letters of support, with Olympic and Paralympic athletes warning it could interfere with the Boat Race course and domestic regattas.
Olympic rower Guy Pooley, head of rowing at Eton College, wrote that the pier’s position would “interfere enormously” with nationally significant races. Alastair Marks, chief executive of British Rowing, described it as “the latest in a seemingly endless series of applications which threatens the most important and longest-established rowing course in the country.”
But council officers concluded that rowers would be able to pass underneath the new pier structure. Their report found the applicant had shown “sufficient consideration” of the needs of other river users, and that the “special recreational and sporting character of the area would be protected and able to continue to be operational.”
The Putney Society offered conditional support, welcoming the prospect of enhanced services “through the day and at weekends (boat race days excepted)” while noting the rowing clubs are “of national, not just local importance.”
What the consultation covers
The marine licence consultation is handled by the Marine Management Organisation and focuses specifically on the construction works in the tidal Thames, including environmental impacts on the riverbed and any protected species.
This is separate from the planning permission already granted. While the MMO can refuse applications, add conditions, or approve them outright, projects that have already secured planning permission rarely face outright refusal at this stage. The consultation is more likely to result in conditions being attached to protect the marine environment during construction.
Thames Clippers will also need a River Works Licence from the Port of London Authority before construction can begin.
How to have your say
The marine licence application (reference MLA/2025/00385) opens for public consultation on 1 January 2026. Comments must be received within 28 days, by 29 January.
You can respond via the Marine Management Organisation’s public register, by email to marine.consents@marinemanagement.org.uk, or by letter to Marine Management Organisation, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7AR.
All correspondence must quote the case reference MLA/2025/00385 and include your address.
