A PLANNING application has been lodged for improvements to Troon Harbour to allow the Arran Ferry to dock there for two years whilst its home port of Ardrossan undergoes a multi-million pound investment. 

Troon Harbour owners, ABP, made an application with the Scottish Government to try and entice them to permantenly move the ferry to the South Ayrshire town but this was knocked back by then Transport Minister Humza Yousaf after months of campaigning by both residents of Troon and those from Ardrossan and Arran. 

Now plans for two berthing dolphins have been lodged for Troon's East Pier to allow the service to travel to and from Troon during the works in Ardrossan. 

The works to improve Troon are estimated to take six months to complete before the ferry can be safely welcomed. 

It is still unclear when the new ferry, the MV Glen Sannox, which has been delayed on numerous occasions, will be ready to enter service with the coronavirus pandemic knocking work back further. 

See next week's paper for more details.