THE harbourmaster’s store in Lyme Regis could be demolished and rebuilt to provide a bigger space.

Steve Postles, from the Fishing College, has approached the town council with the proposal, which was set to be discussed at a meeting last night.

The scheme would use funds from the Dorset and East Devon Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) to increase the size of the store on Monmouth West car park and provide a larger space, an area for lobster pot storage and a space to house the council’s tractor.

A report to the town council’s highways and management committee states: “The operations manager met with Steve Postles on December 7 and identified a need for further storage near the seafront for the fishermen and harbourmaster. This redevelopment would benefit the council by providing a facility that could house the council’s tractor.”

The project would cost an estimated £100,000, and FLAG funding rates are usually between 50 per cent and 80 per cent of the total cost.

If councillors agree to support the funding application, an expression of interest must first be made to FLAG before a fully costed application goes before the FLAG board for a decision.

Recommendations made at last night’s committee meeting will go before a meeting of the full council on February 14 for a final decision.

The FLAG groups are run by the Marine Management Organisation and part of the European Maritime Fisheries Fund.

The Dorset and East Devon FLAG launched in March 2017 and was awarded £800,000 to deliver community-led Local Development in the area’s fisheries, aquaculture and seafood sectors between Swanage and Beer. 

Applicants can apply to the fund for fishery related projects, initiatives and infrastructure that encourage economic growth and job creation within the fisheries and related sectors while meeting the FLAGs key priorities, which are:

  • Encourage and enable effective collaborative working across and within sectors
  • Strengthen the aquaculture sector in Dorset
  • Improve infrastructure and equipment to enable safe, sustainable working ports and harbours
  • Enable innovation to increase the value of catch and products
  • Support the industry by enabling diversification, up-skilling and training, and increase the knowledge and understanding of the sector to attract a younger workforce

For more information about FLAG, visit the website dorsetcoast.com/projects/flag