Help us save vital harbour

7:17am Tuesday 10th June 2008

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By Julian Robinson »

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Lymington Harbour have issued a rallying cry to back the installation of multi-million pound breakwaters.

The town's Harbour Commission has applied for consent to start what would be a major engineering project at the mouth of Lymington River.

Now they are begging the thousands of boat owners who use the renowned yachting area to get behind the sea defence scheme.

Experts say the 12-acre salt marsh which protects the harbour, could disappear in 30 years unless urgent action is taken.

The plan is to create two breakwaters at the mouth of Lymington River to shield the harbour from the full force of the sea's waves. It would mean a 180m rock construction on one side of the estuary and a 200m equivalent on the other.

Getting the go-ahead for the scheme hinges on gathering mass support and convincing a number of key regulatory bodies that such an undertaking would be beneficial.

Harbour Commission chiefs are distributing template letters to mooring holders, members of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club and Lymington Yacht Haven users as they lobby the Marine and Fisheries Agency of DEFRA and Natural England.

The letter to Natural England states: "This scheme is vital to the future viability of the harbour and to the well-being of Lymington and the surrounding district.

"Without the protection afforded by the breakwaters, most of the moorings that support leisure and commercial marine activities in the harbour will be lost. Without these, many of our local businesses that rely on the marine activities will be unable to continue, and leisure users will lose a valuable recreational facility."

Last year thousands showed their support for the scheme and campaigners are hoping for a similar wave of backing in the coming weeks.

The exact cost of the project, which could take up to 20 years to complete in a six phase process, has yet to be revealed. It would require the blessing of DEFRA, the Environment Agency and the New Forest National Park Authority.

Natural England, whose support could be crucial in determining whether the plan gets the go-ahead, is due to make its recommendation in July.