Its promoters believe it will be a vital part of Bridlington’s future success.

For the first time in its history Bridlington will have a safe and fully enclosed marina basin with a sea level maintained by a lock at half tide level.

Offering 24-hour access berths for up to 320 boats and yachts ranging in size from 6 metres to 15 metres, the development partners believe it will attract users from existing marinas on the east coast, including Scarborough, Whitby and Hull.

It will also give the port’s fishing fleet 74 commercial berths with associated facilities and much improved distribution vehicle access to help maintain its position as Britain’s leading shellfish landing port.

The design also allows for some larger visiting and commercial berths.

Stephen Parnaby, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “We have reached the stage where the harbour and marina layout can accommodate the existing Trust Port requirements, whilst providing for all the predicted expansion in the marina and the development needed to support the town.”

Studies by capacity experts, engineers, design professionals and hydrodynamic testing to determine wave conditions in and around the harbour, sedimentation and beach erosion, have all helped develop the technically sound outline design.

The proposed plan shows how the existing harbour will become a lock-controlled marina basin.

A smaller basin branches off it through a channel through the original south pier into the landward end of a completely new tidal commercial harbour area.

A tidal area for the operation of tourist and pleasure craft such as speedboats and the Yorkshire Belle pleasure cruiser will be created more or less in the same area they are now in the original harbour.

The new south pier would be wider and longer than the old one, giving better vehicle access to commercial warehouses and a fish quay.