Plans have been submitted for a 215-berth marina in the East End.

The facility, at Stocks Harbour, will be built to withstand a Category Four hurricane and have a concrete ramp to evacuate boats in the event of an approaching storm.

The marina will be built off land owned by the Bermuda Land Development Company and constructed by Stocks Harbour Marina Ltd.

It will consist of a series of floating concrete docks with external north-east and north-west arms and floating wave attenuators attached to piles, able to withstand a Category Four hurricane.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) accompanying the Planning application says: "The marina will cater for a wide variety of boats including live-aboards, and a range of utilities will be made available to the marina berths including power, potable water and telecommunications."

Also included in the plans are a seawall, washroom and toilets, laundry, chandlery, marina office, and 40-space car park.

Stocks Harbour is situated to the south-west of St. George's Harbour and the proposed marina will sit in a bay formed by Stocks Point promontory on St. David's Island to the north, its shoreline to the south and east, and a sandflat to the south-west.

The EIS states: "The marina is seen as an essential component in the growth and development of the area generally and one that will complement other proposals being promoted by BLDC for the land under its control."

It describes the site as having "an unsightly appearance, being rather overgrown with scrub vegetation and used only for the storage of small boats, some of which have been abandoned".

The EIS adds: "The proposals will lead to a considerable enhancement of the site.

"The proposed marina will provide a much-needed facility at the eastern end of the island that takes account of the environmental sensitivities of the location and will result in a significant improvement in the amenity and appearance of the landside area included in the marina site."

The landside area is zoned as 'Park' under the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008, but is "considered to be an amenity park as the land has not been designated as a National Park".

The EIS says that due to the "well-flushed" nature of the harbour, the risk of oil and gas to the marine environment is "low". It says a floating structure will have minimal impact on the environment and that there is enough space around the marina for boats to manoeuvre without disturbing the seagrass beds.

As the anchors and piles are planned for deeper water, this will also reduce any impact on seagrass.

"With no dredging involved, the effects of construction activity on the marine environment are expected to be minimal," the EIS states.

It does, however, recommend the planting of mangroves on the shoreline to improve the ecology of the area.

Swinging moorings - which have potential to harm the environment - will be banned, and boats will be inspected prior to docking, with operators asked to sign an agreement not to discharge sewage into the water.

Instead, boat owners will have to use a holding tank pump-out service, provided by the marina management. The waste collected will then be discharged into the BLDC sewerage system.

The Department of Planning is currently considering the marina application.