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Oban Bay breakwater plan to mirror Tobermory success: Pontoons to pour millions into Oban by Euan Paterson

An 80-berth pontoon development will pour £3 million into Oban's economy every year, it was claimed this week.

A consortium, consisting businessmen John MacGregor, Paul Sloan and Calum MacLachlainn, plans to boost Oban's ailing tourist trade by creating a pontoon and concrete breakwater under the ethos "facilities for all". Once established, the pontoon would be run by a board of directors made of representatives from the fishing industry, CalMac Ltd, yachting groups and other harbour stakeholders plus four members of the public. This board will be selected at a public meeting on January 18 at 7.30pm in the Argyllshire Gathering Halls, to be chaired by Argyll and Bute MSP Jim Mather, to which everyone interested in Oban Bay is invited.

A spokesman for the consortium said: "We are trying to create facilities for all in Oban Bay whereby everyone will benefit; no-one should be disadvantaged. The consortium has the opinion that a pontoon development between the north and south piers is vital for Oban to move forward as a tourist destination. Out tourist season has declined and we have to reverse this trend and bring in people who will spend real money in the town."

It is envisaged the pontoon will provide a "car park on water" for private yachts and floating concrete breakwater (26 metres long, two metres deep and two-and-a-half metres wide) for pleasure craft and fishing boats. The bay will need to be dredged in order for the project to go ahead but the consortium said this will not affect the man-made beach in front of George Street and that the development fits in with Argyll and Bute Council's plan for the bay. Much of the design has been based on the successful Tobermory Bay harbour development, which brings in around £1 million per year.

A not-for-profit community company would run the Oban pontoons, estimated to cost around £1.8 million, will hire one or two full-time staff.

The spokesman continued: "Based on the Tobermory model, which we will be following very closely, an Oban development could bring in between £2-3 million per year, taking into consideration the present bus, rail, ferry and airport links. But we need to meet the initial cost and secure an income stream, so we are employing a full-time fundraiser. Once the pontoon development is finsihed, and an income stream is established, the consortium will be taking a back seat."

The spokesman added that if everything runs smoothly it hopes to have the pontoon development up and running as early as April 2009.

Ian Wallace, owner of chandlers Nancy Blacks in Argyll Square, said: "A development like this will help the town and generate a lot more business. Yacht and boat owners have money to spend, although I think only certain retailers, in leisure and food and drink, will benefit directly. It will probably be competition for the Kerrera marina but I think, the more the merrier. In my experience, a lot of boats leave Oban because there is nowhere in the town to berth."

However, Peter Tosh of Caley Fisheries said that while fishermen agree with the project in principle there are a few reservations. He added: "We're not against something that is good for the town but a lot of skippers think it is in the wrong place because that area gets congested."