The Weymouth and Portland Wreck to Reef (W2R) project, established two years ago, can now proceed with its plan to create a series of artificial reefs within an area of one square kilometre off Ringstead Bay.
At the end of last month, Dorset County Council voted to take a lease from the Crown Estate for W2R and to sub-lease it to the W2R team.
“This has been the biggest hurdle that we are likely to encounter and it is a huge relief that it is now behind us,” said the project's co-ordinator, Neville Copperthwaite.
The long-term aim is to sink two decommissioned warships at different depths as artificial reefs and diving attractions, and to establish four other artificial reefs for marine life.
Copperthwaite expects the first of the decommissioned naval ships to be scuttled in October next year. The second should go down in 2015.
Funding for the first ship “has already been offered by a Portland-based salvage operator”.
Three of the four other reefs, created with Southern Sea Fishery District, will be lobster restocking areas, one of them utilising bereavement balls.
The fourth will be built from larger, conventional reef balls.
Copperthwaite expects European funding for the first two lobster reefs to be finalised this month.
The W2R project is run by a consortium of diving businesses and other groups, keen to provide a boost to the local diving industry and to improve the state of marine life in local waters.
A key campaigner, equipment manufacturer O’Three, says that the sunken ships “could generate up to £1.6m for the local economy every year”.
The initiative is “already responsible for attracting new businesses to the area”.
Once established, the sites will be managed by a broad group including diving and fishing organisations, the Coastguard, hoteliers, charter boat operators, local councils and universities.
www.wrecktoreef.co.uk
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