The Commodore of one of Scotland’s best known yacht clubs claims a world-class marina could become a reality on the Firth of Forth – but only if council chiefs give developers the chance to make it work.

City of Edinburgh Council are planning to withdraw from managing the ageing Port Edgar Marina and Sailing School at South Queensferry as part of its ongoing cost cutting.

Those who use the facility claim rather than proving its downfall, a change in management could in fact revive the site’s flagging fortunes.

But they insist the council needs to work with developers on ambitious long term plans to make it financially viable, if it is to have a future.

Commodore of Port Edgar Yacht Club, Terry Kirchin, has been in discussions since the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Leisure announced their intention to carry out a planned withdrawal from managing Port Edgar Marina by the end of 2013/2014.

According to Edinburgh Leisure Chief Executive John Comiskey, “The age and condition of the [Marina] mean that to continue functioning beyond the next three years will require a significant level of capital investment. This investment is of a scale that neither the City of Edinburgh Council nor Edinburgh Leisure can currently commit to.”

A report published yesterday by the Council states that Edinburgh Leisure’s development plans are no longer viable. It recommends leasing the marina and sailing school to a third party and is due to be deliberated at the Culture and Leisure Committee meeting next week. The report has generated mixed feelings for users of the port.

Mr Kirchin said: “The fact they have decided to pull out does create the possibility that things may get better. It opens a door either to commercial operator offering what one would hope would be a better service, although perhaps more expensive, or some kind of community scheme with yacht clubs, site users and the local community cooperating together in some kind of charity trust.”

In his years of sailing at Port Edgar, Mr Kirchin has had firsthand experience of the slow stagnation of the marina.

He said: “The issue has been that the Council have followed a strategy for 25 years of running the marina and hoping that they could redevelop the site and all the land around. The site is old - If you went there you would recognise it as a war time site in poor condition.

“In my opinion, nothing has moved on in 25 years because all those years the Council have been trying to solicit bids from developers who would, in their eyes, come in like white knights with lots of money, build flats and houses, and generate surplus cash that could be reinvested in the marina.

“Well, the white knight never came. The strategy never worked. They had lots of bidding processes - the last one closed about 18 months ago - and developers always walked away.

“The latest redefinition of the strategy viewed it as a marina and leisure site, but so much investment is needed on shore and on the pontoons that Edinburgh Leisure and the Council are saying with the squeeze on them right now there aren’t funds to invest in the site.

“Another argument is if the Council had viewed this place as a marina and leisure site from the start, would it have flourished in 25 years of unparalleled prosperity in the UK? I would content that it would.”

Mr Kirchin points to the Council’s decision to offer only short-term leases to Port Edgar users as one of the reasons why developers never took the bait. He feels the only way to generate investment in the area is to offer more security to tenants.

“Edinburgh Council have the head lease of the site, and the Yacht Club, as users of the site, have been there for many years but on a monthly lease. They have never allowed anybody to have more than a month.

“As a result none of us have been prepared to invest any money, as we were only given a month’s security. Despite wanting to build a clubhouse for years, we never felt comfortable doing so with only a month’s prospect and always the threat that they were going to develop the land for something else.

“If the Council cling to only allowing short term leases, a commercial organisation looking to invest money will probably find that unacceptable and there is every chance that negotiations will run into the sand.”

Proposals to found a community-led charitable trust to manage the port are still in very early stages, but Mr Kirchin says there have been positive meetings with interested members of the community. However, he feels there is no way forward unless the Council clearly set out the terms they plan on imposing on the site.

Mr Kirchin said: “There is significant potential for the community. South Queensferry is really a pretty seafront, with the promenade near the bridges, but it’s a bit of a one trick pony.

“Port Edgar, had it been developed properly, would have been an alternative, interesting site attractive to visitors. There is always something going on at the port, so it would be another string to the bow of South Queensferry in terms of attracting economic activity, especially with the new bridge being built near it.

“There are sailing and social activities at the port, and several companies on site that provide employment. Small businesses that want to set up at the port rather than battling in and out of the city would be well served.

“I think the site has potential beyond all the things that it is doing at present but not as a big housing estate. That is where it has stumbled and at last there is a possibility of pursuing another strategy.”

In a statement, Edinburgh Leisure Chief Executive John Comiskey said: “Edinburgh Leisure will continue to work in full partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council in seeking to secure a long term financially viable solution for Port Edgar Marina.” 

Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture and Leisure Convener, said: "Although its investment plan for the Port Edgar site has unfortunately not proved to be the feasible solution we hoped for, Edinburgh Leisure remains committed to running and maintaining the Marina until 2013/14. 

"We have begun the process of finding an alternative way forward for the site and a report will be submitted to the Culture & Leisure Committee later this year."