News / Plans in for new Cullivoe marina and extended industrial estate
The combined cost of the two projects is around £1 million.
PLANS are progressing to build a new community-owned marina in Yell and expand the Cullivoe industrial estate.
North Yell Development Council (NYDC) has now submitted plans to Shetland Islands Council to create a new marina in Cullivoe offering around 34 berths.
It would be located just south to the current community marina at Cullivoe pier, which has a long-standing waiting list due to its 14-berth size.
The NYDC received £133,000 earlier this year from the Scottish Land Fund to purchase the foreshore land for the marina, as well as to extend the nearby existing Cullivoe industrial estate.
The group hopes to secure more funding for the construction of the two projects, which have an estimated combined cost of around £1 million.
Marine tourism is starting to develop in Yell with three boats providing sea angling and wildlife tours, but the NYDC is keen to support this sector further.
More pontoon berths could also encourage more visiting yachts to visit Yell, while it is thought that smaller fishing boats could use the new marina to free up space on the pier for larger boats.
It would feature a 210m breakwater arm, with eight 10m long marina pontoon units providing the berths, while the water depth would also be increased.
The existing community marina at Cullivoe would be decommissioned.
The proposal has received letters of support of bodies the Royal Yachting Association, Shetland Fishermen’s Association and Yell Community Council.
The planned industrial estate extension, meanwhile, comes after three companies expressed an interest setting up there.
The plans would see the estate, which is currently fully occupied, nearly double in size to 10,150 square metres – providing 10 sites.
It would also incorporate a caravan park able accommodate up to five vehicles, and there would be toilet, shower and laundry facilities.
The development council says there is an increased demand for parking and facilities for caravans and motor homes, which is partly linked to the sea angling and marine tours recently established at Cullivoe.
The estate currently has four sites which are leased by the NYDC to tenants who can erect buildings to their own requirements.
It is thought that extending the park, which opened in 2003, could supporting new industries like tidal energy and commercial sea angling.
Its name would change from an industrial estate to a business park.
NYDC director Andrew Nisbet said two of the primary drivers behind the projects are supporting tourism and local businesses.
“One of the main reasons for doing it is to give tourism a boost, and to support the developments that are already happening with marine tourism – the sea angling and so on that’s got going out of Cullivoe,” he said.
“We’re also hoping to attract visiting yachts as well and build that up too.
“The main strand is to encourage tourism in our area, but also to meet the demand from businesses for space.
“There’s no space left at the industrial estate at the moment, and existing businesses and new businesses are looking for new space, so we’re aiming to provide that.”
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