£220k needed to protect harbour

Extensive work was carried out to the quay in 2005 and 2006

More than £220,000 needs to be spent to protect Conwy's status as the "premier yacht harbour" in north Wales, county councillors will be told.

Recent work to modify the quay has led to some parts of the harbour silting up more quickly than usual.

Unless the area is dredged and, in the longer term, a jetty replaced, boat owners may look for moorings elsewhere, the harbourmaster has warned.

Councillors will discuss his report at a meeting later.

Significant work was carried out to the waterway in 2005 and 2006.

Harbourmaster Tony Mead said in a report silt was now affecting the boat jetty which leads from the town's quayside and some of the mooring pontoons.

His report recommends that the area around the jetty should be dredged at a cost of £50,000, but that in the long term, it should be replaced by a new higher level structure costing over £150,000.

It also recommends spending £20,000 on an interim solution to the problem with the mooring pontoons and possibly up to £170,000 on a longer term option.

Mr Mead states: "The potential loss of use of the inner mooring pontoon as a yacht berthing facility will cause considerable dissatisfaction amongst the relevant permit holders and may lead to them removing their vessels.

"Should this occur then both revenue generated from mooring lettings and the overall spend in the community by yacht users will decrease."