Permission has been granted for the new pontoon project in Lochranza bay at a meeting of the North Ayrshire Council planning committee.
Nick Pierce, vice chairman of the Lochranza and Catacol Sea Society said: ‘Planning permission was actually granted last month and now we have to consult with engineers about how to best proceed.’
The process to install a pontoon required approval from the Crown Estate, landowner Charles Fforde, North Ayrshire Council, Historic Scotland, Scottish National Heritage and of course the residents of Lochranza and the surrounding areas.
Mr Pierce emphasized it will be a simple pontoon that would be used for embarking and disembarking purposes only and not for overnight berthing.
Studies show that the development will cost in the region of £158,000, which includes consultancy fees, planning permissions and maintenance of the pontoon.
The association has applied for grants but for this to be feasible 30 per cent of the project costs must be met by private sector income.
Of this amount the association can provide approximately £18,000 in materials and funds, leaving a shortfall of around £29,000.
David West from Loch Lomond Seaplanes talked about the feasibility of a sea plane landing in Lochranza. The company offers scheduled tours around Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
They hope to include tours to Arran and a pontoon in Lochranza would offer safe disembarkation and embarkation to the plane.
