Wales and Southwest to benefit from marina developments

Some developers claim it has become uneconomic to build new marinas in the UK.

Of the projects currently planned, a number - such as those planned at Penzance, Newlyn, Bridlington, Gloucester Quays, and Stretford, Manchester - are part of much larger redevelopment efforts; others are relatively small-scale projects or extensions to existing facilities. Few are actually brand new marinas.

Looking to the long term, new marinas are expected to form part of the redevelopment of Penzance and Newlyn in Cornwall, projects which are also intimately linked to the recent acquisition by Marina Developments Limited (MDL) of a former quarry at Penlee, just down the coast, a site that the company had earmarked for a new marina.

All three projects form part of a long-term effort, the aim of which is to develop sailing facilities west of Falmouth, in the Mounts Bay area of the Cornish coast. While the Penzance and Newlyn projects are being led by the district council and Penlee by a private developer, the future of all three projects is inextricably linked.

In October, Penwith and Kerrier District Council let a technical investigation contract to Hyder Consulting (UK) Ltd for consultancy work on the redevelopment of Penzance Harbour. The contract, which was let in October, is estimated to be worth in the region of £625,000 and includes hydrographic surveys, geotechnical surveys, and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Project Manager Nigel Horwell said that although at one time a 200-berth marina had been planned, it was not clear what form the marina might now take, or exactly where it might be located.

Penzance is the first major harbour on the English mainland after crossing, or leaving, the Atlantic, and - given the sheltered location of Penzance within the bay - its harbour has long been used by commercial, fishing and private craft and it has a long tradition of hosting a thriving maritime industry.

Demand high Demand for new berths is high too. Penzance has an active sailing club and community and the surrounding waters offer challenging sailing conditions, with the added attraction of the harbour being the last stopping-off point before the Isles of Scilly.

An area-wide review completed in January 2001 highlighted the potential for the development of new marinas along the southwest coast of the UK and emphasised the advantages of Penzance's strategic location.

This view was further reinforced by a report entitled Strategic development of ports and harbours in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which confirmed that there is a healthy demand for moorings at the larger Cornish harbours.

Horwell explained to BB the work planned at Penzance will be extensive and will involve developing a new breakwater and marina, a two-story terminal building and berthing facilities for the Isle of Scilly maritime link and visiting cruise ships. Other work is likely to include developing, letting and supervising a contract with a commercial developer/marina operator to develop reclaimed land for housing, coffee shops, wine bars and hotel.

He explained that the proposal seeks to take advantage of the opportunity provided by EU Objective 1 funding and anticipates a significant improvement in the local economy, countering recent loss of prosperity and jobs caused by the reduction of the local fishing fleet and the farming industry, until now the mainstay of Penzance and the immediate vicinity.

WS Atkins produced an action plan on behalf of Cornwall Enterprise that looked at the regeneration of the harbour and town and examined a number of options for the marina, including sites adjacent to Albert Pier, making the existing harbour more accessible by creating a barrage and lock.

However, concerns were raised over the size of the marina, with some believing it to be too large, suggesting that a 50-70 berth marina would be more appropriate. The opposing view was that an opportunity would be lost by not extending the breakwater out to The Gear, thus providing a significantly larger area for associated development.

While recognising that detailed studies had not been undertaken, careful consideration was given to the potential hydrological impacts regarding tides, sea currents, longshore drift, accretion and prevailing winds and account was taken of the number of berths required for a commercial operator to be involved in management and operational matters.

Range of species Nearby Newlyn remains among the most valuable fishing ports in England and Wales, landing a range of species sold across the UK and Europe. The village has a long and proud history as one of Cornwall's most vibrant coastal communities dating back to the 13th century and has a strong local identity based on a traditional industry, an important artistic tradition and the distinctive environmental character of a small historic Cornish harbour.

It has a spectacular setting at the western side of Mount's Bay, looking towards St Michael's Mount, and is a key component of the local economy of Penwith in West Cornwall. However, Newlyn is a seriously deprived area - average incomes are at least 30% below the national average; unemployment rates are typically 100% above the regional average; and deprivation indicators show Penwith as the 25th most deprived district in the country out of 354.

In recent years the fishing industry has been placed under severe pressure and many have questioned the future of the catching fleet, the port and the local community.

In response to these concerns, the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum was created in early 2001.

A public-private partnership, the forum includes representation from the local fishing fleet, fish merchants and processors, as well as the local community, local authority and other agencies, all of whom will have input into a major regeneration scheme for Newlyn, which is being backed by the Objective 1 Fisheries Task Force.

MDL's plans for the 100 acre largely brown field site it acquired at Penlee Quarry remain in a state of flux.

Plans to turn the site of the former quarry have met with objections from local environmental groups, but MDL stresses that its plans for the site are still in their infancy and could change radically.

Wales licences applied for A spokesperson for Anglesey Boat Company (ABC), which hopes to develop Beaumaris Marina in North Wales, told BB it was in the process of applying for a licence for the project from DEFRA that will enable the company to dredge and build a breakwater.

"We would like to think that we will be on site in mid-2004, and will have completed the project by mid-2006, but a lot depends on DEFRA, " said the spokesperson.

The Section 106 planning agreement required by the Welsh Assembly has been completed and planning permission was formally granted in a letter from the assembly on January 9, 2003.

The planning approval included a number of conditions and together with the Section 106 Agreement, ensuring that the marina has a minimal impact on the environment.

It is anticipated that DEFRA will forward its recommendations to the assembly for judgement before the end of the year.

Assuming the project goes ahead in its current form, ABC will build a 400-plus berth marina at Beaumaris on the Menai Strait, the scheme being modelled on Phwelli marina.

ABC has also now submitted a planning application for a new, 540-berth marina at Fishguard in Pembrokeshire, although the initial scheme would probably consist of 350400 berths. The company anticipates being in a position to make a licence application early next year. A year-long environmental impact assessment process was completed earlier this year.

It's proposed that the marina will be constructed in the south western portion of Fishguard Harbour within the existing Eastern breakwater.

Once fully developed, the marina will be able to accommodate 540 berths, protected by two new breakwaters. A new quay will also be developed to cater for commercial fishing boats.

Elsewhere in Wales, plans are underway for a new marina at Deganway Quay, opposite Conwy marina. North Walesbased contractor DJ Construction has awarded a £3m contract for the construction of a marina basin and associated land reclamation works at the new £45m facility.

New marina at Lydney Docks Historic docks in Gloucestershire are to be revamped after a scheme to revive them was awarded lottery cash this summer.

Lydney Docks have fallen into disrepair since the days when huge steamships would moor up after a day trip along the River Severn, but plans are afoot to restore the docks to their former glory, dredging silt from the harbour, repairing the gates and building a new visitor centre.

The £1.4m project has been given a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £800,000, and the Environment Agency has offered £360,000 towards the cost.

The plans also include 90100 berth marina and it is envisaged the project, which is being carried out by the Environment Agency (EA), will be completed in 2004 at a total cost of £1.9 million.

The EA increased the size of the marina it is planning to build to help pay for the project, having originally planned a 50-berth project.

The town of Lydney in which the docks are to be found is in Gloucestershire, and the River Lyd flows through Lydney and enters the Severn Estuary via Lydney Harbour.

The EA, as owner of the docks, has spent a great deal of money on maintaining the physical structure of the docks, but the available funds are not sufficient to prevent the gradual deterioration of the site. So it therefore formed the Lydney Partnership, whose membership includes representatives from the county, district and town councils and English Heritage, to investigate ways in which the future of the docks could be secured.

The EA made a successful Stage 1 application for Heritage Lottery funding for the project in 2001, enabling it to obtain development funding for the project and is close to completing an application for Stage 2 funding. The EA is proposing to install finger berths and pontoons at the new facility.

Elsewhere in the West Country, the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) plans to develop the site of the former Royal Naval Air Station at Portland and have asked London-based architects and master planners Gibberd Ltd to devise a mixed-use scheme with a maritime theme including a marine-related industrial use, plus water sports and leisure use, including expansion of Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy.

Second basin at Upton In the Midlands, Upton Marina at Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire received the go ahead from the local planning authority to expand the marina earlier this year.