 The marina for 540 boats will be built at Goodwick Harbour |
A �10m scheme to create a 540-berth marina in Fishguard has been given the go-ahead. It will form part of a chain of similar developments along the Welsh coast creating 80 full-time jobs in a town which has suffered mass redundancies in recent years.
Pembrokeshire Council's planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the application by the Anglesey Boat Company.
The company now hopes to attract EU Objective One and other sources of funding.
 |  We see this as the first of a series of major break throughs and true catalyst for the regeneration of the area  |
It already has Welsh assembly approval to build a marina at Beaumaris on Anglesey and is in talks with the Milford Haven Port Authority for another development at Pembroke Dock.
Business leaders in Fishguard have welcomed the decision.
Myles Pepper, chairman of the North Pembrokeshire Jobs Forum, said: "We suffered a tremendous hammer blow just over 12 months ago when Dewhirst, the clothing manufacturer, closed the last of their factories in Wales.
"We see this as the first of a series of major break throughs and true catalyst for the regeneration of the area.
"At least with a marina development which is water based this is an industry that is going to develop.
"People in this area have experience of working on the sea and really we should not fail in this area.
"It's up to the area developing a spirit of entrepreneurship to provide quality complimentary services which will further enhance the area as a visitor attraction."
Spectacular yachting
The marina at Goodwick Harbour will involve the creation of two new breakwaters and a quay which will also be developed for commercial fishing boats.
A spokesman for the company said: "Market research shows that there is demand for such a facility which will provide a further link in the chain of marinas along the Welsh coast.
"We have in Wales some of the best and most spectacular yachting venues in Europe but need to provide such amenities to attract yachtsmen who now go elsewhere with the subsequent loss to the local and Welsh economies."
The closure of Dewhirst last year led to 168 redundancies in Fishguard which was also hit by the fall-out of 1,000 job losses at the Cleddau Bridge call centre following the collapse of ITV Digital.
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