A bold new vision for town’s future
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
KILKEEL Development Association (KDA) presented their vision for the town's future last week.
In what has been described as the largest research and development project in Northern Ireland, KDA has been working in partnership with Invest NI and with nine local companies in a joint study to scope out the best opportunities for Kilkeel, and indeed the wider south Down area, by exploring new development and job opportunities and market and product development.
KDA presented their ambitious Sustainable Kilkeel 2020 Vision to Department of Regional Development (DRD) Minister Danny Kennedy, MLAs John McCallister and Basil McCrea, Mournes Councillors Harold McKee and Sean Rogers and David Bell, from Invest NI, last week.
One of the main aims of the new vision is the development of a low carbon port which would see a new outer harbour, which would create a safe and enlarged eco-port to facilitate the fishing, offshore supply services and leisure marine tourism sectors.
The new proposed outer harbour would be based on the design that the NIFHA in association with Kilkeel fishermen had previously agreed. However, it would be larger in scale and incorporate wind, wave and solar forms of energy generation.
It is looking at new product development and marketing opportunities in the fishing and processing sectors, waste management and added value products, the potential from seaweed development and processing, new manufacturing products, services and markets, the development of new eco tourism and water-based leisure activities.
It would also look at renewable energy derived from anaerobic digestion plants operating absorption chill and ice plants. How a biomass boiler system could deliver a district heating system. Looking at developing boat building and associated services for the offshore sectors.
KDA have also been working with Invest NI and more recently with People's first LEMUS project to access offshore accreditation and training. The offshore wind, oil and gas sectors are all experiencing growth and there is a high level of demand for a range of skills. Anyone with previous experience at sea would have an advantage.
There are problems with accessing funding for training and this was high on the agenda.
If 100 local people could be retrained and accredited for offshore training it could lever in over £2.5million into the Kilkeel and south Down economy.
The study should be completed by March and KDA hopes to access funding to develop the opportunities that are identified. KDA are also in discussions with Invest NI Innovation Voucher Department looking at further pooled voucher projects focusing on local food producers and also the tourism sector.
“We were pleased with the positive reaction to our proposals of everyone present. We look forward to further co-operation and assistance as the Sustainable Kilkeel 2020 Vision develops," said a KDA spokesman.
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