The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Community outcry as pontoon plan pitched
DISCUSSION: ‘Major win for Montrose’ met with scepticism from locals fearing loss of beauty spot
Plans to build a floating harbour in Ferryden have left residents fearing for their picturesque part of the area.
Concern is growing over proposals to build a pontoon to service the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm with residents worried it will ruin views and prevent local boats from berthing in front of Ferryden, opposite Montrose.
Staff at Montrose Port Authority have opened discussions with the community about building the pontoon as the port gears up to service the massive renewables development, which will be Scotland’s largest.
Concerned local resident Mhairi Thompson Hall said: “I don’t think half the people in Ferryden know what is going on.
“It will be where the small boats are kept at the moment. They are proposing to move the small boats from the Ferryden side to the Montrose side.
“They have told us that it is not going to affect the view, but we don’t know if that is true or not.”
She said the community were “not happy”.
“There was a community council meeting last week and people are very
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I don’t think half the people in Ferryden know what is going on. RESIDENT MHAIRI THOMPSON HALL
concerned. Nobody has actually seen any plans and there has been no proper consultation.
“We don’t know what it is going to look like and that is part of our concern.”
Angus MP Dave Doogan, SNP, said he had written to the port authority to highlight the issue.
He said: “I have met with constituents to discuss with them their concern over this proposal.
“I am aware dialogue between the port and Ferryden residents is ongoing and this in my view remains the most beneficial means of transacting this matter.
“Nevertheless, I have written to the port to highlight the detail of residents’ concerns in order to help inform this ongoing conversation.”
Tom Hutchison, of Montrose Port Authority, said: “We are at the very initial design stages for the Seagreen maintenance base and are working closely with SSE Renewables and the local Ferryden community.
“The development is a major win for Montrose and the new contract is set to bring a significant amount of economic benefits. It will be a huge boost for Angus, creating opportunities for the local supply chain network and a great number of jobs.”
A Seagreen spokesman said plans for the harbour “are currently still in development and will be finalised with the port over the coming months”.
A spokesman for Crown Estate Scotland, which has planning powers over Scotland’s foreshore and seabed, said no application had yet been made.
He said: “Any application that we do receive will be subject to all the normal planning and consenting processes.”