Hunterston marine yard set for £150m overhaul

Peel Ports Clydeport has signalled its intention to invest up to £150m in the redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard in Ayrshire.

Peel Ports is planning to transform the former coal terminal at Hunterston into a base to support the offshore wind sector.

The port operator has submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the site, with a competitive tender process for developers launching in the coming days. The works will include substantial upgrades to the marine yard and utility services, including infilling the current dry-dock basin and construction of a new quay wall, it said.

Lewis McIntyre, port services managing director at Peel Ports Group, said: “Scotland already has the reputation, infrastructure and talent needed to support offshore renewable energy projects and meet our national aspirations for the environment and green jobs – we can make that vision a reality if businesses like ours are willing to invest and work together to make it happen.

“Our plans for Hunterston reflect our ambitions for a net-zero future, supporting offshore wind developments along the west coast of the UK and the east coast of Ireland, as well as supporting our local construction partners.”

Peel Ports held a series of public consultations on the redevelopment at the end of last year and obtained initial expressions of interest from developers earlier this year. The project will require planning permission, marine licences and other consents before any works can begin, and will require an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

It reckons that the consenting process will be complete by the end of this year, followed by two years of construction.

Peel Ports has begun talks with several potential tenants for the offshore wind site, which will take up around 90 acres of the 320 being redeveloped at Hunterston.

The redevelopment will continue the transformation of the former Hunterston coal terminal. Much of the site is already under option, most notably for an undersea energy cable factory and an onshore aquaculture facility, with further developments in the pipeline.

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