OIC awards contract for Hatston marine renewables project

Orkney Islands Council has awarded the contract to extend the Hatston pier, but the name of the contractor has not yet been released.

The project will see the county’s largest deep water pier extended northwards by 160m at a total cost of £8m. A total of £3.4m funding towards the capital cost of the project was awarded from the ERDF programme in January 2011.

Councillor Jim Foubister, chairman of the council’s transport and infrastructure committee, said: “The awarding of the contract for this latest £8m project is the second phase of the council’s ambition to develop a three port strategy to support the marine renewable industry in Orkney.

“With the £3m Phase1 development at Lyness now complete and already in use, we are now awaiting a decision on an application for ERDF funding to develop a new pier at Coplands Dock in Stromness.

“The Council has also purchased an additional 20 acres of land at Hatston for use as a support base and to complement HIE’s £3m development of industrial units currently being built.”