£4m facelift for run down docks

Dilapidated docks in County Down has been redeveloped at a cost of £4m.

31 May2006

The project in Warrenpoint includes a new mussel purification plant for boats operating on Carlingford Lough.
The redevelopment began in November 2004 and has been funded by European money as well as government departments in the north and south.
Peter Conway of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority said the mussel industry was the main focus of the redevelopment, but it was also aimed at tourism.
"There's been a mussel industry here for a number of years farming on the lough but they haven't had a safe haven both to deliver their mussels to and to depurate them," he said.
"We have provided this to improve the facilities for the mussel industry and, indeed, to add value to their catch."
He said the mussel season usually lasted from October to May, but the authority was keen to raise money during the summer months.
"During the summer time we are a commercial harbour," he said.
"We have to look at getting a return for the investment...and for that reason we will be looking seriously at getting an income, perhaps, from recreational vessels as well."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/5029558.stm