Plans for a new marina in the East End could go ahead, despite planning permission being refused by the Development Applications Board (DAB).The Stocks Harbour Marina Project was refused by the DAB last September the decision was appealed by the applicant, Stocks Harbour Marina Ltd.Environment Minister Walter Roban last month backed the appeal, allowing the proposal to move forward.Planning inspector Peter Cuming said in a report that the environmental impact of the proposed marina would be minimal.Plans for the marina, located southwest of St George’s Harbour and just east of the Swing Bridge, were first put forward in 2008. They included 215 berths on a series of floating concrete docks.The DAB had expressed concerns about the high number of berths compared to the low number of parking spaces.The site was originally intended to have parking spaces for 40 vehicles, but that number was reduced to 24 in order to prevent a marine area from being filled in.The board noted that there was parking available at nearby Marginal Wharf but said the distance between the two sites could cause those using the marina to park on the street, causing a traffic problem.Mr Cuming noted that the parking plan had been reviewed and declared satisfactory by the Ministry of Works and Engineering.Other issues of concern were the large size of the proposed marina and the potential threat to sea grass in the area, an important food source for sea turtles.Last September the board decided to refuse planning permission.It said that while the number of berths had been reduced from 215 to 200, the overall size of the marina was unchanged. It also repeated concerns about the lack of parking and the potential environmental impact of the marina.Stocks Harbour Marina Ltd appealed the board’s decision in October. After looking into the matter, Mr Cuming supported the appeal.He said in his report that numerous environmental studies were carried out which suggested there would be little to no adverse impact on the turtles or the sea grass.“In my view, considerable and appropriate research into the likely environmental impact has been undertaken,” he wrote. “An abundance of research data has been submitted and I did not find any indication that the proposals will cause measurable damage to the flora and [fauna] and to the turtles in particular.”He noted that nothing he had read indicated that the parking proposal was ideal, but that it was “proportionate with island patterns of provision” and that the highway authority was satisfied.Mr Roban approved the appeal on March 24.l Useful website: www.planning.gov.bm