A £300 million bid to develop Bathside Bay at Harwich was officially launched today.

Harwich International Port's owners today submitted three planning applications for a new container terminal, which it has said will generate 722 new jobs.

Development plans - Bathside Bay, Harwich

Hutchison Ports submitted plans to Tendring Council which mainly relate to the "landside" elements of the proposals.

There is an application to build the operational area of the port, the construction of a small boat harbour and public amenity area at Gas House Creek, and a listed building consent application for the partial removal of the jetty attached to the train ferry berth in Gas House Creek.

The operational area will include a 1,400-metre quay, container handling and stacking area and associated facilities.

Hutchison held an inaugural exhibition on the plans at the port last night, where company executives answered questions from a range of elected representatives and organisations.

The firm will also be holding public exhibitions on the proposals over the next few weeks.

These will be held at Shotley Village Hall, Harwich International Port, Safeway at Parkeston, Dovercourt Fiveways Superstore and Harwich library.

John Bubb, general manager of marine port services, said: "We believe the development is good for Harwich and good for the surrounding areas."

Richard Pearson, managing director of Hutchison, said: "It is vital that, in order to remain competitive with European ports, the UK creates additional new deep-water facilities to service the latest generation of large container vessels afloat."

The development could make Harwich International Port the second largest container port in the UK, almost doubling the total quay length to 3,000 metres, and enabling the port to handle up to four deep-sea container vessels simultaneously.

Published Thursday, April 17, 2003

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