Over a year after Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) voted to close it, Perth Harbour remains open.In February 2023 PKC voted to close Perth Harbour as a commercial port.At that point, the harbour was operating at a projected loss of around £300,000.On February 8, 2023 councillors voted by 22 votes to 14 - with two abstentions - to close the harbour as a commercial port after it had fallen into decline.Council officers were asked by council leader Grant Laing to test the market for a "viable and serious offer" to lease the harbour but not to sell it.
It followed a comprehensive review of the harbour which recommended closure as a commercial port and suggested exploring other options such as recreational use.Last February PKC's head of Planning and Development David Littlejohn told councillors: "The review concludes costs will continue to increase and income will remain volatile to the extent the operating deficit is unlikely to be reduced to any significant extent without a seemingly unfeasible increase in the vessel movements."However, this week the council confirmed it is still operating the harbour.A PKC spokesperson said: "Following the Council's decision in 2023 to close Perth Harbour, Transport Scotland is assessing a Revision Order for Scottish Ministers' consideration.
Until the Order is confirmed, we remain the Statutory Harbour Authority, meaning that at present, the harbour remains open for commercial traffic."
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