The creation of a multi-million pound manufacturing and research centre and underwater visitor attraction, which promises to bring skilled jobs and thousands of visitors to Lochaber, will soon be underway.

Few people would look at a disused sewage works and visualise a major business opportunity, but that is exactly what entrepreneur Don McGregor did.   As managing director of Stenmar Engineering Limited's Underwater Centre on the shores of Loch Linnhe, his ambitious plans are centred on the transformation of the neighbouring An-Aird waste water treatment works into a 1.4 million litre pool, the centrepiece of the planned development.

Mr McGregor's innovative plans for 'Ocean Frontier' will allow him to combine the use of the pool as an underwater sonar development and diver training centre with a unique visitor experience. 

The ground penetrating sonar will be developed and manufactured on site in Fort William and will create nine highly skilled jobs. It will be sold to a worldwide market and be used to provide sophisticated seabed mapping.

To improve the realism of the testing and training, the pool will be filled with water and marine species from the loch, and will house an array of underwater exhibits such as the world's largest diving bell from HMS Challenger, a shipwreck, an offshore oil well head and remotely operated vehicles. 

The Stenmar Underwater Centre currently offers training for divers in the oil, defence and fishing industries below the surface of Loch Linnhe, but this is out of sight from the public.  When the centre opens in May 2003, visitors to Ocean Frontier will get to see divers at work without even getting their feet wet.

Spectators will also see a theatrical diving show based around the marine exhibits and the more adventurous members of the public will be encouraged to take a dip by joining in training dives in the safe surroundings of the pool.   Those who wish to remain on dry land can use remotely operated vehicles from a surface oil rig platform to take underwater videos of the objects and marine life.

The project is being funded from a number of sources including Lochaber Enterprise, which has approved £718,000 towards the £2.2 million (pound) scheme.  Included in this is European Regional Development Fund assistance in the form of £62,000 (pounds) from the HIE Activities programme.  Bank of Scotland Business Banking and the directors of the company have also funded the project.

Mr McGregor said:  "I'm really excited about this project, and with the last piece of funding now in place from Lochaber Enterprise I can get on with turning my vision into reality.

"The commercial side of the business already attracts divers from all over the world.  In fact around 60 per cent of visitors to the Centre come from overseas.  That in itself is a huge boost to Fort William, but not many local people or tourists know what is happening down here at the shore.  I hope this development will be a big draw to the Lochaber area and I believe visitors will experience something they can't get anywhere else in the UK."

Charlotte Wright, acting chief executive for Lochaber Enterprise, welcomed the proposal saying:  "The creation of a world class, hi-tech research and manufacturing facility is great news for Lochaber. Not only will it create a number of high quality jobs in the area but provide a unique visitor experience. Mr McGregor will be recruiting an additional 33 staff to work in the centre bringing the workforce to 80 when the doors open in May next year."