Dredger on course to help redevelop town’s harbour
AN open day will be held later this year for the public to see the ongoing work to dredge Burry Port Harbour as part of its redevelopment.
A state-of-the-art dredger is currently being trialled at sea off Cardiff and it is hoped it will arrive and be in action at Burry Port within weeks.
Dredging is already under way at the Carmarthenshire seaside town as part of plans to revamp the boating facilities.
The more powerful vessel, which also has a crane for pontoon repairs will take over later this summer.
Local county councillors Amanda Fox and John James have been given an update of the work by bosses at The Marine Group and the team at the harbour.
Councillors Fox and James said: “Once the trial stage is completed and commercial authorisation is granted it will come down to Burry Port which should be within the next month. Once the dredger is working an invitation will go out to Burry Port and Pembrey Town Council to attend an open day. Subsequently, an invitation will go out to the public.
“We recently had a meeting with Chris Odling-Smee, director of the Marine Group. An update was given highlighting the development plans earmarked for the harbour and the progress being made. The emphasis is most definitely on the number one priority of dredging the harbour down to the required depths and then sustaining those depths with the new commissioned stateof-the-art dredger.
“Although one of their main priorities is the marina and improving its services by installing boat lifting equipment, installing diesel fuelling points as well as upgrading the pontoons, there are also plans to sympathetically convert the former RNLI building with a strong desire to preserve its historical and cultural fabric.”
The Marine Group’s office will remain there, but there’s also a focus to develop a shower block, toilets and laundry room to cater for Marina customers as well as providing start-up business units.
Councillors Fox and James added: “The capital costs are greater than initially anticipated but they are manageable, with Carmarthenshire Council investing in the project as well as the income generated from the demand for its use by third market parties. In the future, the Marine Group will be looking to develop the East Dock but in the short term the county council has engaged contractors to work on the harbour walls. The Marine Group told us that they would work closely with the council and contactors to ensure minimal disruption to the marina.”
In the near future, a coffee shop will be introduced, which will be complemented later on by the county council’s wider regeneration plan for Burry Port Harbour with leisure, hospitality and retail playing a big part in the harbour’s makeover.
Mr Odling-Smee said he is totally committed to delivering Burry Port Marina as a prestigious, first class facility.
The councillors added: “We have no reason to doubt his and Carmarthenshire Council’s commitment to the project and to Burry Port.
“A demonstration of this commitment is the fact that he has addressed the town council on several occasions and attended two public events in the last two years. We feel strongly that this is the best chance we have in preserving and enhancing the Burry Port area, an area that means so much to the people of Burry Port.”