Barbados to get second multi-million dollar marina
Barbados is preparing to build its second marina, a multi-million dollar west coast facility for use by visitors and the general public.
The developers are the same who built Port St. Charles, the sprawling, nearby private upscale residential resort and marina, which opened twelve years ago in January 1996.
Besides its modern one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, Port St. Charles boasts six private mega-yacht berths located on the offshore breakwater that can accommodate vessels up to 250ft. There are also two offshore anchoring mooring buoys that can handle yachts in excess of 250ft.
The marina is also an official port of entry for Barbados, and has facilities for Immigration, Customs, Coastguard and Police.
The new Retreat Marina and housing development will also be located in the parish of St. Peter and will be a public place with a restaurant, shopping, apartments and berths for ships, Bjorn Bjerkhamn, the developer heading up the project explained.
He forecasts it would employ about 150 people locally and generate about half a billion dollars in foreign exchange. The project is earmarked for 13 acres of vacant land.
“We have the experience of building the only marina in Barbados,” said Bjerkhamn, Chairman of Port St. Charles Development. “This one will have 120 berths and complete access to the public.
There will be no impediment to using any part of the beach at any time,” he told a public meeting to address any concerns of St. Peter residents about the project.
Issues raised largely related to the health of the beach, parking, loss of vegetation and architecture.
Ralph Adams, project engineer for the Retreat development, told the meeting there was no fear of salt water from the sea getting into the Barbados ground water reserves.
Dr. David Smith from Smith Warner International, coastal environment engineers, said they would be taking measures to maintain the integrity of the coastline and minimize any damage to marine life.
No date has yet been given for the start of construction of the Retreat Marina.
Additional Information:
June 13th, 2008
