Details have finally been revealed of the Kilcreggan Harbour project – potentially the biggest development in the village for decades.
The preferred option (above) is for a pontoon and breakwater to be built to the west of Kilcreggan’s Victorian pier, at a cost of £9.3m.
Argyll and Bute Council’s initial cost estimate was £1.1m, meaning the new project represents a percentage increase of 745%.
A pontoon would also be built in Dunoon, where a linkspan which the council installed at a cost of £5.4m would be removed – this has never been used by vehicle ferries, as intended.
Both infrastructure projects are designed to accommodate the new 40-metre Dunoon ferries which will be operated by CalMac.
Five concepts and 11 designs were initially proposed for Kilcreggan Harbour, and most of these have never been revealed by the working group comprising staff from the council, CMAL, CalMac and Transport Scotland.
Three of these designs were taken forward to the appraisal stage hand are pictured below – all are said to be less suitable than the preferred option. Costs for these ranged from £5m to £11m.
The preferred option, ‘4A’, is revealed by consultants Mott MacDonald in an outline business case, and shows the current pier still being used by the Waverley.
This states it has ‘good approaches and manoeuvring for ferries’, adding: “Can be designed to accommodate other harbour users, providing flexibility for future users.
“Minimal impact on timber pier, provides access for all. Subject to need for and position of breakwater, has impact on setting of historic pier and wider village, but could be softened through design.”
The pontoon will be 60 metres long and ten metres wide, with pedestrian access intended to meet comply with the Equalities Act (EA).
As news of the project started to emerge last year, concerns were raised for the future of Kilcreggan’s B-listed pier, especially since Helensburgh’s pier was neglected by the council once it was no longer used by a ferry.
That pier was closed to mariners in 2018, and the council has an unenviable record of neglecting its historic buildings.
Problems with Kilcreggan’s current pier and ferry service are said by Mott MacDonald to include:
- ‘Life expiry’ of the timber pier, the need for regular repairs and ‘question over residual life’
- The service is constrained by tides
- And passenger access – it isn’t suitable for all passengers, with steep gradients at high and low tides.
Aims of the project, which were used to assess the options, were:
- Infrastructure capable of accommodating the new vessels for at least 60 years.
- Improving the reliability and punctuality of scheduled services.
- EA compliant access to ferry services, ‘as far as reasonably practicable’
- Minimise negative service impacts by managing the construction works and phased introduction of new vessels.
A public consultation on the new Dunoon vessel closed earlier this month – it has not yet been confirmed whether the Kilcreggan boat will be identical.
Details of the consultation on the Kilcreggan Harbour plan are expected to be announced soon.
Earlier this month Cove and Kilcreggan Community Council convener Alistair Lamont said he hoped that a consultation event could be held in Cove Burgh Hall.
It certainly seems to be feast or famine when spending on this ferry is concerned. Who will pay for this?