Harbour project's Whitehall boost

Eastport's outer harbour would cost £43.5m

The £43.5m scheme for an outer harbour at Great Yarmouth has received backing from central government which has been hailed as a major step forward.

The Department for Transport has given the project a harbour revision order, which is effectively the granting of government planning permission.

Supporters can now raise more funds from the EC and private investors.

It is hoped construction will start in 18 months with the aim of operating daily ferry services to Holland.

Council leaders are hailing the project as a means for boosting the well-being of the town and surrounding area but several hurdles still remain.

We can now turn to the next phase of the project inviting commercial investors to finance the project and get it built Peter Hardy

Rival port and ferry companies are lobbying hard against the scheme, arguing that it is an inappropriate use of public money.

Peter Hardy, executive director of Eastport - the joint local authority promoters of the scheme, is confident it will go ahead.

"We can now turn to the next phase of the project inviting commercial investors to finance the project and get it built."

But two key decisions are still to be made in Brussels.

Mr Hardy said: "Part of the £12m government grant is European funding which the EC must approve. From informal feedback they think the project is a good one so I'm confident this will come through.

Traffic travels at night

"The other problem concerns state aid because of this amount of public funding.

"Our indications are that this will not be a problem since the EC does not intend to treat the money as state aid.

"I have just put through a notification to get legal certainty and I would be very surprised if this turned out to be an obstacle."

Local people in Norfolk are also concerned about the amount of traffic on the roads approaching Great Yarmouth and their ability to attract road freight operators to the port.

"The A47 Acle Straight is not the most attractive of roads but in a journey time from Manchester to Cologne it is a small section and preferable to the M25 in rush hour," Mr Hardy said.

"Much of the traffic will travel overnight when the roads are at their quietest."

Barry Stone, acting leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council and holder of the economic development portfolio, said: "This will have a massive effect on confidence in the town.

"The investment in the outer harbour scheme will be small in comparison to the knock on effect of increased trade and well being here."