WORK has started on a new £20 million marina in Portland Harbour.

Following on-site preparations last month, heavy equipment has arrived on site to start work on what is promising to be a world-class sailing facility.

The development - at Osprey Quay - will boast some 600 pontoon spaces and will include 40,000 square feet of business space and office accommodation plus services for cruising and racing yachtsmen including a bar and restaurant, fuel berth, travel hoist, chandlery, yacht brokerage and marine engineers.

The pontoons are being supplied by Hampshire firm Walcon Marine and will provide water, television and power connections through service bollards.

James Walters, managing director of Walcon Marine, said: "This is really exciting.

"We have now put in several mooring piles and are waiting for the breakwater to start providing some protection to the marina so we can start putting the pontoons in. The layout is designed and we are fine tuning the pontoon designs."

Portland Marina is due to be completed by next September - well in time for the nearby Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.

Dean and Reddyhoff Marinas is installing the pontoons in a £3 million contract.

Councillor Geoff Pether-ick, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council spokesman for employment and prosperity, said: "This is all part of the big plan; there's something like £400 million worth of regeneration projects in the pipeline in Weymouth and Portland at the moment.

"It is fabulous and this exciting development is part of that - yet another area that will add employment in Weymouth and Portland."

Leases for some of the business premises, the majority of which will overlook the marina, have already been sold.

The development will involve reclaiming more than an acre of land from the sea in Portland Harbour.