Plans move forward for Seaford Dive Reef
A plan to sink old warships in Seaford Bay to create an artificial reef could put the towns of Seaford and Newhaven on the tourism map.
Anthony Fowler, owner of the Tudor Manor Hotel in Seaford, has come up with a plan to sink ex-naval warships after he was inspired by a similar successful scheme in Plymouth.
He said the idea, which would cost about £1.5 million of pounds, would boost tourism in the area, help prevent erosion of the coastline, encourage marine life and provide a haven for divers.
The project is now commissioning a small scoping study to plan how the project could be undertaken and assess its financial viability. The Sink One 4 Seaford campaign is currently raising the £3700 to fund this work. It is hoped that the South East England Regional Development Agency (SEEDA) will see the economic benefits of the shame and fund its creation as the South West RDA did for the Plymouth artificial reef.
A meeting was held in Seaford on Friday 2 November looking at options for raising these funds. The event included speakers from the Canadian Artificial Reef Company and Mike Leece OBE; there were also representatives from SEEDA, Marine South East, Tourism South East and local authorities.
If you would like to find out more contact Tony Fowler by emailing info@sinkone4seaford.co.uk or log onto the website http://www.sinkone4seaford.co.uk
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