The Curator of Wrecks yesterday clarified that a St. George's wreck may not impede a marina development.

Curator Philippe Rouja said there were a variety of options available to the developers.

Over the weekend, archaeological assessors from East Carolina University carried out a survey of the vessel know as the Medway located near Meyer's slip in St. George's Harbour. They discovered that it is from the 1870s and in perfect condition. Previously it was assumed that the wreck was a modern one.

Medway will now become the test case for the Historic Wrecks Act passed in 2001, which aimed to protect the maritime resource by imposing strict guidelines for the treatment and exploration of shipwrecks.

A private developer as part of a planning application review commissioned the survey.

Dr. Rouja said the discovery of the historical importance of the wreck did not mean the development would not go ahead.

"There are a variety of options for the developer," he said. "They could build around it, or incorporate it into their designs. There is also a possibility that it could be moved once it was documented."

All these options and others will be considered by the Historic Wrecks Authority and the Minister once they receive the report from the developer.