Thousands of tonnes of rock are being placed in Portland Harbour this week as work gathers pace on the new £21 million Portland Marina.

The 600-berth marina is part of the multi-million pound regeneration of Osprey Quay at Portland and will involve 200,000 tonnes of Portland Stone being used to construct a new inner breakwater and to reclaim just under two acres of land from the sea.

UK marina operators Dean & Reddyhoff, based in Gosport in Hampshire, were selected by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) to develop and operate the marina.

Portland Marina is a cornerstone of the RDA’s transformation of Osprey Quay into a major marine sector hub on the south coast. It is the largest single yacht marina constructed in the UK since Dean & Reddyhoff built Haslar Marina back in 1993. The first phase of completion will be late summer next year.

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Bruce Voss, head of operations for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole for the South West RDA, which bought Osprey Quay in 2000, said: "This is another huge vote of confidence by the private sector in Osprey Quay and we’re delighted to see work on the marina now well underway. As well as offering top class facilities on the water and ashore, Portland Marina will include a range of units aimed at marina businesses."

Councillor Geoff Petherick, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's spokesman for employment and prosperity, said: “This development is part of the plan and vision for the future prosperity of Weymouth and Portland. There is currently in the region of £400 million worth of regeneration projects and investment, either in place or in the pipeline for the borough.

"As part of the legacy from hosting the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are looking to attract both skilled marine and hi-tech companies, which result in higher wages for local people."

Over the last few weeks specialist contractor Walcon Marine, based in Fareham in Hampshire, has started sinking the first of 170 new pilings - each 14 metres long - into Portland Harbour to accommodate new pontoons for the marina.

The shore-based facilities will be built on land owned by the RDA while the Crown Estate has provided land in the harbour for the breakwater and reclamation part of the project.

(JM)