Construction work on a controversial new berth at the Port of Ramsgate has now started.

A replacement for Berth 4/5 was approved last month by Thanet District Council.

Now a marine licence has also been issued, meaning construction can begin and dredging on the site has now started.

The berth will be installed over August before being commissioned in September.

Thanet council estimated the project will cost around £2.3 million and is currently in budget, although this was raised from the £1.5 million set out last year.

The previous Berth 4/5 had helped ships transfer aggregate to shore since 1998 but was decommissioned in 2020 as the council claimed it had reached the end of its life.

Despite being the sole user of the berth, Brett Aggregates isn't responsible for building a replacement as council bosses says the authority has a contractual obligation to do so.

Leader of the council Cllr Ash Ashbee (Cons) said: “The project is now entering the works phase with dredging having started earlier this week.

“Work was meant to have started on June 9 but has started a few days later due to an operational issue with the dredger which is now resolved.

“We anticipate that piling and installing the berth will be completed by the end of August and it will be commissioned in September.”

The project has been controversial since it was announced Thanet council would have to foot the bill.

Not only has the budget increased for the project but the new berth will also be more than double the length of the original.

This has left some councillors still concerned about the proposal, most notably the lease agreement.

Prominent campaigner against the berth Cllr Rebecca Wing (Green) said: “I certainly think the lease has left us in a shocking situation where our residents are expected to pay a massive bill, but there’s nothing we can do about that.

“We should be seriously looking at making sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Meanwhile Cllr Steve Albon (Lab) said: “All I want to say is 'Thank God'.

"Thank God work on Berth 4/5 is under way and is going to be resolved and be put to bed.”