UPGRADES to Aberystwyth Marina have been put on hold after the owners were told they must first obtain the relevant marine licence.

The presence of a large vessel fitted with a tall white crane in Aberystwyth Harbour earlier this month caught the attention of several passers-by, who were curious about what it was up to.

It was reported in the Cambrian News last month that “long-overdue” dredging had been completed by Aberystwyth Marina’s new owners, Cardiff Marine Group, and that they had plans to construct new berths and change the layout of the pontoons.

It has now been confirmed that the large vessel was due to begin work on the upgrades by ‘piling’ pillars into the seabed, but the works have now been put on hold after CMG were told they must apply for a marine licence through Natural Resources Wales, a process which could take months.

Eleanor Smart, marine licencing team leader for Natural Resources Wales, said: “We were notified by the Welsh Government officers that works may have been planned on Aberystwyth Marina without a marine licence.

“The operator contacted our Marine Licencing Team when they were made aware of the necessity of the licence.

“A marine licence application has now been submitted and will need to be approved before the work can continue.”

A CMG spokesperson added: “As a responsible marina operator, we have applied for the appropriate licence and will begin the next phase when the necessary licence is in place.”

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online on Wednesday