Europe awards £1.8m for Stromness marine renewables service base

A new £5.5m marine renewables support base in Stromness has moved a step closer, following confirmation today that Orkney Islands Council has been granted £1.815m towards the project from the European Regional Development Fund.

In July this year, councillors gave approval for the project, known locally as Copland’s Dock, to go ahead as part of OIC’s works programme for 2011-12 subject to ERDF funding.

It is expected that planning applications for the project will be submitted early in 2012.

The £5.5 million project will be part funded by the council’s own reserves, in addition to the 33 per cent of ERDF funding.