The aim is to repurpose Stranraer and Loch Ryan as a distinctive and successful marine leisure destination.
The development is expected to deliver significant regeneration and economic benefits for the Stranraer area including:
- regeneration of the underused waterfront
- £18 millon investment in Stranraer, made up of £16 million Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal funding, plus £2 million from this council)
- £35.4 million boost to the local economy over 25 years
- new employment and business opportunities
- 20,000 additional visitors per year boost to tourism
- opportunities for inclusive participation in watersports
- optimising the capacity of the marina, its layout and mix of berth sizes, and shoreside facilities, ensuring its performance as an economic asset for Stranraer is fully developed
- ensuring best practice, as identified in the Code of Practice for the Design, Construction and Operation of Coastal and Inland Marinas and Yacht Harbours, produced by the Yacht Harbour Association and the British Marine Federation
- ensuring expansion complements the operation and facilities provided by the traditional harbour for commercial vessels
- ensuring that all proposals align with the overall aims and strategic priorities for Stranraer regeneration and act as a catalyst for further regeneration
- following a market assessment and initial engineering and architectural design work, the concept proposals are for a 223 berth comprehensive service marina with supporting shoreside facilities
This will offer:
- additional pontoon berths
- main marina berthing area close to south quay wall which will add interest to the waterfront
- extended breakwaters to provide better shelter from waves and weather
- additional shoreside support facilities, including an expanded harbour and marina office with extra showers
- superyacht berth
- workshop units for boat repair and servicing support businesses
- extended boatyard
- land reclamation using dredged material
- better connectivity to town centre
The facilities for commercial and fishing vessels will be fully retained.
The target is for the new marina facilities to be operational by 2024, with a phased delivery of the new pontoons.
Renewable energy - zero carbon target
This project aims to be a model for sustainability in marina projects. Work to identify potential renewable energy features is ongoing. Installations are likely to be a combination from:
- solar thermal hot water
- water source heat pumps
- ground source heat pumps
- solar PV
