BIDEFORD Harbour has the potential to create new jobs, spark regeneration and secure a vibrant economic future for the town if it secures work through the Atlantic Array project.

Talks are under way in Torridge to try and ensure the harbour, which is seen as a massive natural resource, taps into the £4 billion project to create an offshore wind farm in the Bristol Channel.

The River Torridge has previously been suggested as a site for linking the power cables to land, and £250,000 was spent by the district council on a new crane for the harbour last year, but there is criticism that the site is under-utilised.

Devon county and Torridge councillor Barry Parsons, who also represents the district on the board of North Devon+, has just become chairman of a new Bideford Working Group set up to support and pursue the major regeneration projects in the town.

He said: "There is a huge opportunity here to utilise a massive natural resource which will put the buzz back into Bideford.

"There is nothing better than seeing a vibrant harbour. It goes back centuries and it is what Bideford is all about.

"Securing work for the harbour with the Atlantic Array project will not only create jobs in Bideford, but long term could encourage people to come and invest in the town.

"It could also act as a catalyst to enhance the harbour and key areas of the town like Brunswick Wharf."

The Atlantic Array will be 14km off the North Devon coast and likely to be sited just north of Lundy. It will contain 250 turbines with a 1,500MW output generating enough energy to supply 1.1 million homes.

Although the RWE npower renewables development has the potential to pump millions into the local economy and provide hundreds of jobs during construction, with more long-term employment through maintenance, some fishermen have warned it will wipe out one of the area's most profitable fishing grounds.

North Devon Fishermen's Association (NDFA) has been working hard to negotiate a deal for the fisherman who are certain to see their livelihoods affected, but it is believed that more jobs will be created than lost to the fishing industry.

Mr Parsons added: "The benefits of the Atlantic Array far outweigh the losses and it is critical that we think about the future.

"We need to get hold of this project as it could be the biggest injection in terms of benefits that we have ever had.

"The Welsh Assembly is backing the project that side, yet we have seen nothing this side of the water.

"It is a massive project and we need the economic and environmental benefits.

"This is a chance to see people put back into work and we need something like a centre of excellence to increase the skills level and ensure those benefits come to and remain in this area."