Archive News
The Largs Story – Public exhibitions planned as CMAL prepare to start work on rebuilding Largs Pier
Public exhibitions are to be held in Largs and Millport next week as work to provide a new pier at the popular seaside resort is expected to get underway shortly.
Detailed plans and a model of the new pier will be on display at the Vikingar Centre, Largs on 25th September from 2pm - 7pm.
The exhibition will then move to the Garrison on Millport the following day, 26th September, again from 2pm- 7pm.
CMAL recently announced that George Leslie Ltd had been awarded the construction contract to rebuild the pier, with the £6M project due for completion next summer.
The necessary harbour revision orders, to enable the work to be carried out, were obtained by CMAL earlier this year.
This vital project will allow Largs Pier to continue to provide shelter and overnight berthing for the vessels operating on the Largs - Cumbrae route
Working together with ferry operator CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL), consulting engineers Arch Henderson LLP and contractor George Leslie Ltd; CMAL has already set up a community forum with representatives of the Largs and Cumbrae communities to keep locals up to date as the project progresses.
CMAL’s Director of Harbours and Piers, Lorna Spencer, said: “Community involvement is crucial to the success of this project and the community forum is already proving a successful way of answering any queries and updating interested parties. These exhibitions will allow us to reach out to the wider community who may not have been involved with the project before. This is a great project for the people of Largs and Millport and we want everyone to feel they are part of it.”
John McNaught, Managing Director of George Leslie Ltd, said:”We are looking forward to getting to know the people of Largs and Millport and are happy to reassure them that we will be working to minimise disruption during the delivery of this vital scheme to safeguard the future of Largs Pier.”
As well as getting to meet those involved in the project, visitors to the exhibitions will be able to see a model of how the new pier will look for the first time.
Alan Kilbride, a partner with the new pier’s designer Arch Henderson LLP said “We are very pleased to be working with George Leslie and CMAL on such an important asset as Largs Pier. We hope that the design has achieved its target of offering an improved facility for Largs whilst minimising disruption during the period of construction”.
CalMac Operations Director Phil Preston is also keen to reassure residents of Cumbrae that disruption to ferry services during the work will be kept to a minimum. He said:”Due to the way in which the work is being completed, we see no reason to alter sailings from Largs Pier from the normal schedule. As is always the case during the winter months, any unforeseen disruption which does occur will be communicated to travellers as soon as possible.”
Customers are advised to continue to use the CalMac SMS texting facility to check on the status of sailings.
Following the public exhibitions, the model of the pier development will be on display at Largs Library.
Once construction gets underway, a fortnightly ‘meet the engineer’ open event will be held in the community room of Largs Library, providing a forum for members of the public to raise any questions or concerns. The details of these meetings will be available at the library and on a Project Notice Board at the pier, which will be kept up to date with relevant information about the works.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
• A public exhibition will be held in the Vikingar Centre, Largs on 25th September from 2pm - 7pm
• A public exhibition will be held in the Garrison, Millport on 26th September from 2pm- 7pm
• CMAL owns property at piers and harbours at more than 21 locations throughout Scotland. CMAL are embarking on a programme of investment and improvements which will create better facilities and more opportunities for additional ferry services.
• In addition to its pier and harbour facilities CMAL owns 31 ferries which are leased to CalMac Ferries Ltd and Cowal Ferries Ltd. Last November •CMAL placed an order for a modern £22m ferry for the route serving Islay from the mainland.
• CMAL is a publicly owned company with Scottish Ministers as the sole shareholder
For further information, please contact Andrew Flockhart at CMAL on 01475-749933.
15TH September 2008
