A preferred option for the £1.1m ‘Kilcreggan Harbour’ project could be decided before Christmas, a meeting in Dunoon was told this week.
And the concept vessel for the long-awaited new Dunoon ferries has been confirmed, with a public consultation due soon – although the propulsion system it will use has not yet been decided.
A previous meeting heard that the two new Dunoon vessels would be 35-metre catamarans – and this week it was stated again that this design would determine new infrastructure in Kilcreggan, even though the new Kilcreggan ferry will be smaller.
“Outline options have been worked up for Kilcreggan and presented to the working group,” said a report to the Cowal Transport Forum by Ruairidh Campbell, harbour and engineering liaison manager Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL).
“To achieve maximum interoperability of vessels and service resilience, the Kilcreggan infrastructure will be designed for the Dunoon concept vessel.”
Read more: Bid to protect Kilcreggan’s historic pier
Five concepts and 11 designs have been drawn up for ‘Kilcreggan Harbour’ but Argyll and Bute Council, which owns the village’s B-listed Victorian pier, has refused to release these under Freedom of Information legislation, saying that to do so would ‘undermine public confidence’ in the project.
Scotland’s Freedom of Information Commissioner is currently reviewing this refusal.
A reference group has been giving feedback on the proposals for the new ferries and Kilcreggan Harbour for more than a year.
After the lack of any local input into the project was revealed here, the council was invited this spring to nominate a member who would represent the Rosneath Peninsula.
This did not happen until September, when Conservative Cllr Barbara Morgan was finally appointed – but she resigned the next month.
A meeting of the full council on Thursday will decide who will take on a list of Barbara Morgan’s roles, but this list does not include the ferries reference group.
Mr Campbell’s report said a team had been working towards a public consultation on the Dunoon vessel to start later this month and run through December
Another report to this week’s meeting in Dunoon, this time written by the council’s marine operations manager Scott Reid, said ‘public engagement’ on the plans for new infrastructure in Dunoon and Kilcreggan was scheduled for January.
“There remains a lot of basic work to pull together and it is recognised that this timeline is ambitious in some respects, however we will remain optimistic as we proceed with due process,” he added.
Read more: 40% increase in cost of new Dunoon and Kilcreggan ferries
He said local councillors and members of the Argyll and Bute harbour board would be updated ‘appropriately through proper council channels and procedures’.
No members of the harbour board, which approved spending £1.1m on the Kilcreggan Harbour project, represent that area.
Three new ferries to serve both Dunoon and Kilcreggan are planned, with an estimated total cost which has risen by 40% to £21m.
CMAL has denied that a final decision has been taken on capacity of the new Kilcreggan vessel, but minutes from the May meeting of a steering group which includes civil servants from CMAL, CalMac, Transport Scotland and the council, state that the following decision has been made: “Gourock-Kilcreggan vessel design optimised to 50 passengers with max capacity at 85 passengers. The vessel design will therefore proceed on this.”
It is both insulting and staggering that this entire process has taken place with NO representation by councillors or community councils from the Rosneath peninsula being present. This is a lifeline service and the very sustainability of our villages is the top priority. Once again highlights the shameful bias that is shown to certain parts of Argyll & Bute whilst the rural communities are effectively gagged and shut out of the process. If I am elected I will do everything in my power to address this shameful neglect of what should be fair and due process involving the communities most affected as part of the consultation and planning process . It sounds like a “fait accomplis’” is all the public will be consulted on. Mark Irvine – Independent Candidate – Lomond North Ward
I agree! Disgusting autocratic attitude towards the people of Roseneath peninsula, again!
I hope they don’t remove the pier and replace it with a concrete structure. I hope they don’t build an ugly sea wall around the current pier.