Calls to develop town harbour

A FORMER councillor has called for Annan Harbour not to be forgotten in the latest initiatives to regenerate the town.

George Willacy welcomed efforts to attract funding through the Annan Regeneration Masterplan but expressed concerns that the run-down port area might be a low priority.

The former town and district councillor, whose family have been associated with the local fishing industry for generations, pointed to a history of expensive studies leading to nothing when it came to the harbour.

Mr Willacy highlighted the successful regeneration of ports such as Whitehaven and Maryport where he understood nuclear legacy funding had played a part.

He said: "Annan Harbour today is a complete eyesore. It always seems to be forgotten about. I think it could have been perfect for some of the Chapelcross funding.

"It could be a really nice place, it has a lot of potential. It needs someone to take the bull by the horns."

Mr Willacy, a JP and former town and district councillor, stated he was surprised to learn that maintenance and repairs to the Burgh Quay area were being paid for out of the town's Common Good Fund.

He said: "This is a public area as far as I am concerned and should be maintained through council funds as is the case elsewhere."

Mr Willacy also suggested that the area of the harbour historically in public ownership was wider than seemed to be accepted by officials in recent years.

He conceded that the complicated mix of public ownership with a variety of privately-owned properties had hindered past attempts at redevelopment.

Meanwhile, a successful 'low-cost' scheme to upgrade Kingholm Quay Harbour on the River Nith, south of Dumfries, has been hailed as a possible role-model for Annan.

Volunteers from the Port of Dumfries Development Group are removing silt, pointing harbour walls and dredging the dock basin.

The group includes boat enthusiasts, some with a marine or business background, who are keen to see the harbour develop and become self-financing.

The harbour work is complemented by careful commercial and residential developments on near-by private properties.

Businessman Roy Kerr, who has a catamaran at the harbour, said there were similarities between Kingholm Quay and Annan.

He said: "Kingholm Quay faced similar problems to Annan until this project began. It has been a case of everyone getting together and working with a common objective.

"There is a large demand nationally for facilities for wintering boats. This can provide income for the harbour and possible work for the local service sector.

"We are also hoping to encourage the use of the harbour for the tranport of goods. This is now more attractive as a means of cutting carbon footprints."

Mr Kerr said the fact that Dumfries area harbours came under a single regulatory body, the Nith Navigation Commissioners, was perhaps an advantage.

He added that, with the right facilities, he believed Annan could also tap into the boat wintering business and possibly a future coastal cargo revival.





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