By Jenny Barwise

Last updated at 11:36, Wednesday, 18 July 2012

Ambitious plans have been revealed for a £1.4 million revamp of Maryport harbour.

Maryport Harbour Authority has applied for the grant for vital repairs to the harbour walls as well as a new boathouse for the town’s inshore rescue service.

And key figures have warned that if Britain’s Energy Coast doesn’t award the majority of the cash next month the future of the harbour will be uncertain.

Angela Kendall, chairwoman of Maryport Harbour Authority, said that although the harbour walls are not deteriorating at the moment, they will not last much longer if work isn’t carried out to strengthen them.

“If we don’t get the funding we are going to end up with no docks – it won’t take long to deteriorate,” she said.

Mrs Kendall said that she didn’t think the walls – spanning round the town’s two harbours Elizabeth and Senhouse – had been repaired or replaced during their 200-year lifespan.

A lot of work has been carried out on the harbour over the past 30 years but Mrs Kendall warned it “won’t take another 30 years to deteriorate” if the funding is not granted.

Mike Messenger, station officer at Maryport Inshore Rescue, is backing Mrs Kendall’s concerns.

He wants £320,000 to build a modern boathouse to replace the one that he says is “fit for no purpose”.

It has been in place for 100 years and all it can hold is the lifeboat. There are no toilets, showers, kitchen or crew rooms.

“It is crucial that we get a new building,” he said.

“The current building just isn’t big enough for our needs or suitable for anything – it is completely unfit for purpose. If the bid isn’t successful we will be severely restricted in our operational capacity as we are now. The whole future of the harbour is dependant on the bid.”

The inshore rescue has two Land Rovers which have to be parked outside of the boathouse. Because of fears that equipment could be stolen from inside of the vehicles it leads to 20-minute delays loading up when they are called out.

Mr Messenger will find out today if another grant – for 16 per cent of the cost from North and West Cumbria Fisheries Local Action Group – has been successful.

Maryport Harbour Authority has been planning the proposal for the past 18 months. They will find out on August 9 if it has been successful when the application goes before Britain’s Energy Coast for consideration.

First published at 11:28, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk