Caledonian Canal marina plans suffer setback

BACKERS of a £3million project to build a marina at the southern end of the Caledonian Canal in Lochaber have withdrawn their planning application.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Sep 2016, 14:07 BST
Updated 4th Oct 2016, 14:01 BST

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Image of the planned marina for the south end of the canal. Picture: ContributedImage of the planned marina for the south end of the canal. Picture: Contributed
Image of the planned marina for the south end of the canal. Picture: Contributed

The working group beind the Thomas Telford Corpach Marina project has claimed they will press ahead with the scheme, despite the ‘technical problem’.

The group had a vision for 80 pontoon berths at the end of the canal, but will now need to resubmit its application.

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They are going through the application process for a Marine Scotland Licence.

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Working group chairman Douglas MacDiarmid said: “We submitted our planning application a couple of weeks ago, but the planning authority said there were two or three technical issues that needed to be addressed.

“We have withdrawn it and are well advanced with addressing these issues. We are hoping to get it back in as quickly as possible.”

The findings of a number of studies mean plans for the proposed marina have now to be changed.

The number of berths has been reduced and it has been moved out into deeper water because there was a lot more silt and rock in the foreshore than was envisaged.

It was also originally intended that a new services block would be built, but local concerns about the scale of the development, have led to plans to use existing canal buildings for this purpose.

The planning application that has just been withdrawn was for a marina with 40 large berths, a launching slipway and car park and change of use of the canal buildings.

Mr MacDiarmid said their plans also included an additional 10 berths for smaller boats.

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He said: “The site we have in Corpach is one we need to tackle carefully. It has got the railway level crossing nearby and Historic Scotland interest because of the canal mouth. But we are still on course and keen to deliver the project.”

He added that they were now hoping the marina could be commissioned before the end of next year.

The group is holding a consultation event for its Marine Scotland Licence application in Corpach next month.

Meanwhile, it is applying for Leader funding for assistance with securing project management services and exploring potential sources for capital funding for the marina.

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