Scalloway dredging plans adjusted

PLANS TO dredge the entrance to Scalloway harbour to a depth of 9.5 metre have been abandoned after it emerged that the plans was unaffordable.

Instead, members of the Shetland Islands Council’s harbour board agreed to dredge a 90 metre wide entrance channel to a depth of 8.5 metre at a cost of around £2.5 million.

The additional metre in depth would have cost an extra £1.5 to £2 million, the board heard.

Members expressed disappointment that their initial aspirations were outwith the board’s financial capabilities. A budget of £3 million had been approved for the 2010/11 capital programme.

The project is only to dredge the entrance channel, deepening the harbours’ piers and quaysides to a corresponding depth are not included.

The meeting was told that most vessels wanting to use the Westside harbour would be able to do so once the entrance is dredged to a depth of 8.5 metre.

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Councillor Betty Fullerton said: “This is very disappointing, but 8.5 metres is better than doing nothing. We have to stick to our budget.

“This will facilitate by far the largest amount of ships calling at Scalloway”, she said.

Board chairman Alastair Cooper added that a channel depth of 8.5 metres would also be beneficial to the vessels serving the emerging marine renewables industry.

Board member Jim Tait said he would have liked to see an economic assessment of the perceived benefits of the project before making a decision on the way forward, but was told by board chairman Mr Cooper that the study would be available at the next harbour board meeting, in six weeks time.