The mastermind of Dundee’s waterfront redevelopment has firmed up plans to bring hundreds of luxury boats to City Quay.
Director of city development Mike Galloway said that a 400-berth pleasure marina would add to the “sophistication” of Dundee and help bring the waterfront to life.
He outlined the plans at an update for businesses on the waterfront redevelopment, organised by Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Galloway told delegates: “One of the key things we want to do to enliven the City Quay area is to make use of the water itself.
“We have therefore been, over the last couple of years, putting together business plans and viability studies into the prospect of a large pleasure marina being located in Victoria Dock.
“Those studies have shown that if the infrastructure can be provided then there is a valuable business proposition to be made there.”
The cost of installing the necessary infrastructure would be met by the council, Mr Galloway said, although he added that any costs should be recouped by leasing the luxury facility.
“What we are therefore doing is using the city council’s own covenant to try and deliver this project,” he said.
“We are in the midst of discussing and negotiating with the owners of Forth Ports to take a very long lease on those dock structures and to upgrade those and install all of the infrastructure necessary for a 400-berth marina.
“And we would then look to have a partner in place to be the operator who would then take that forward and run it for the next 15 to 20 years.”
Pleasure marinas are used to harbour private yachts and ‘gin palaces’ boats often more associated with St Tropez than City Quay.
But Mr Galloway believes that the development of the marina could provide a crucial economic boost to the Victoria Dock area and Dundee as a whole.
“I think (the pleasure marina) will change entirely the footfall within the City Quay area as well as being a really important asset for the city as a whole in terms of tourism,” he said.
“But also it just adds another dimension to the sophistication of Dundee as a place to invest and live. It adds another dimension and will bring this area to life.”
Mr Galloway also told delegates that the waterfront redevelopment had now passed its halfway stage, with £500 million being spent so far.
And he called on local businesses to engage with the redevelopment and invited them to open discussions of where investment and opportunities could be found.
Progress on turning Dundee’s port into a renewables hub had been “slower in delivery than had been anticipated” but, with new infrastructure, jobs and investment “will still happen,” he said.