PLANNING for a £150 million redevelopment for a Scottish port to help support an offshore wind site has been submitted.
Peel Ports Clydeport has submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard in Ayrshire with a proposed investment of £150m in the project.
The redevelopment will include substantial upgrades to the marine yard and its utility services which includes filling in the current dry-dock basin and construction of a new quay wall.
Ahead of the project, Peel Ports has begun talks with various firms involved in the floating offshore wind site at Hunterston Port to help establish a supply chain between the businesses.
The redevelopment proposed will take up around 90 acres of the 320 being used for floating offshore wind site.
Lewis McIntyre, managing director of Port Services at Peel Ports Group, says the project will help support the marine yards' net-zero ambitions and will help give local construction companies an economic boost.
He said: “Scotland already has the reputation, infrastructure and talent needed to support offshore renewable energy projects and meet our national aspirations for the environment and green jobs – we can make that vision a reality if businesses like ours are willing to invest and work together to make it happen.
“Our plans for Hunterston reflect our ambitions for a net-zero future, supporting offshore wind developments along the west coast of the UK and the east coast of Ireland, as well as supporting our local construction partners.”
The project still requires planning permission, marine licences, and will include an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), before any work can begin on the site.
Peel Ports held public consultations on the redevelopment at the end of last year and began conversations with developers earlier this year.
The consenting process is estimated to be completed by the year's end and construction will take a further two years.
