Wheel deal
DETAILED plans for the £8.2 million transformation of Bo'ness Harbour have been submitted to Falkirk Council.
And outline planning permission has also been sought for the 150 million foreshore, dock and harbour development — which could feature an amazing bridge, the design of which is based on the original version of the famous Falkirk Wheel.
The first phase of the 10-year project will see the dere.lict harbour transformed into a tourism and leisure attraction. More than 150 homes and town houses will also be built.
And thanks to Falkirk Council's development surveyor Colin Frame, the Journal was this week able to gain a close-up look at the detailed harbour plans — submitted by ING Real Estates Limited.
Water is a feature developer ING is used to working with, given that the company is Dutch based. So it's no surprise that the firm has come up with inventive plans for making the most of the harbour location.
The first phase of the waterfront development, if approved by Falkirk Council, will see the harbour transformed beyond recognition within three years.
More than 150 houses and townhouses will be built, many on stilts going out into the water. And a 70-bedroom four-storey hotel, boasting a glass atrium, will also sit on stilts overlooking the water.
In addition, there will be a variety of retail units for the boating fraternity along with a series of moorings and a boat club built on the water.
One of the most eye-catching features of the development promises to be a lighthouse, boasting apartments and a restaurant on the ground floor.Access to the dock will be from Links Road, with a level crossing over the SRPS railway visitor attraction.
The road will then lead on to a unique lifting bridge which has been designed to allow people to access the revamped dock — but also allow harbour traffic to travel freely.
Council development surveyor Colin Frame explained: "The bridge will be a miniature version of what was proposed for the Falkirk Wheel.
"They didn't want to have all the mechanics on one side of the bridge as that would create a weak point. Instead, they are proposing to cut the bridge diagonally down the middle, with mechanics on both sides.
"It will be a steel construction, with the design based on the old cranes in the harbour. It really will be quite unique."
And it is this uniqueness which has already resulted in funders stumping up cash.
The East of Scotland European Partnership has pledged 1 million for the joint private and public development. Both the council and ING will plough in cash and a number of other agencies are considering funding packages.
Concern has been expressed that plans to dredge the harbout of contaminated site have been ditched as too costly.
But an amendment will see the harbour, which is tidal, open for four or five hours twice a day, which the developers believe will still bring in the boating fraternity.
Despite detailed plans being submitted — which include plans for modern lights and seating — it is not yet clear when work will start on site. However, it is hoped that approval will be granted for construction to start in 2006.
An alternative plan is also being investigated which would see the harbour extended out into the Forth Estuary.
This would enable the harbour to open for seven or eight hours, twice a day.
However, it would mean reclaiming some land from the Forth and — to cover the costs — an additional 284 homes would be built.
Investigations are being carried out to see whether the scheme would be feasible. So the current masterplan, now submitted for outline planning permission, may be amended.
But it has been stressed that this option is extremely expensive — adding millions to the project.
It is likely a decision on whether to forge ahead will be taken before the council deliberates on planning permission.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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