AMBITIOUS possible development plans for Watchet marina, including a restaurant and increased parking facilities on the current East Quay boatyard, were revealed by marina boss Chris Odling-Smee at a packed meeting in Watchet last week.

As part of his now-monthly report to Watchet residents and boat-owners, after months of controversy over the future of the marina, Mr Odling-Smee announced a new intensive double-tide dredging programme to give up to two metres of retained water during 2023.

He also invited residents and boat-owners to take a trip on the company’s flagship dredger, the 55-ton Doonhamer, to get an idea of the work involved in clearing the harbour.

The marina company, the Marine and Property Group, which operates four other marinas in Wales, runs a boatyard on the northern half of the harbour’s East Quay. The rest is occupied by the £7 million modernistic arts centre, which also runs a restaurant.

Mr Odling-Smee said the company wanted, eventually, to commercially develop the boatyard to include a restaurant, possibly specialising in fish, and extended car-parking.

“Once a new lease is signed with the council, the marina will be giving up the 35 allotted car spaces in the Harbour Road public car park. We will then be making more parking spaces available in and around the boatyard,” Mr Odling-Smee told the meeting.

He added that any further East Quay development would be dependent on getting council planning permission.

After the meeting, a Watchet Boat Owners’ Association spokesman said: “There is a definite feeling of positivity round the place after so much uncertainty. We will still have to see what actually happens, particularly concerning the handing-over of the lease and the progress of the dredging.”

A boat-owner, who asked not to be named, added: “It’s hard not to be cynical when we’ve been hearing these promises since 2021 and it’s still costing me over £3,000 a year for my boat to lie in the mud.”

In a statement after the meeting, a Marine and Property Group spokesperson said double tide dredging would be resumed next week, weather permitting, and a smaller dredger, Innovation, would dredge the tighter areas which Doonhamer could not access.

“Large amounts of soft mud is slumping to lower areas, especially over the gate area. The gate’s hydraulics have been serviced and checked and are working as they should. The recent cause of the gate not working was due to slumping of mud caused by dredging,” they said. “Dredging will next start to concentrate on the Eastern side of the marina. We are determined to get the major mud removed throughout the marina but will be leaving some so that in case of unforeseen gate failure, boats don’t ground on bedrock. We have invested a large amount of money on Doonhamer in order to remove the mud, and the marina team will also be utilising a fire pump to jet out mud behind and under the pontoon floats to remove the mud the dredgers cannot reach.”

The spokesperson added that residents and boat-owners interested in a trip on the dredger should contact the marina manager.