A NEW helicopter pad is likely to be part of the redevelopment which is changing the face of the old HMS Osprey site at Portland.

But rather than the familiar navy or coastguard helicopters, the new facility will cater for billionaire customers of the Sunseeker boatbuilding firm.

The operations director of Dean and Reddyhoff marinas, James Beaver, says the pad could enable the customers of Sunseeker to fly in and see their superyachts being built.

He revealed that Dean and Reddyhoff was investing around £24 million in the marina site in total.

Mr Beaver said: "I have been in contact with some people who have expressed a real interest in having a helicopter pad here.

"It would be a great boon for the area to have a facility that would allow these people to fly in and see the work being carried out."

Mr Beaver added that the new marina, which will be able to accommodate more than 500 yachts at a time, would include a refuelling port that could include bio-fuels as well as diesel and unleaded.

He said: "There aren't all that many yachts using bio-fuels currently but this would mean that we have the facility already in place if that ever changed."

More than 250 of the 500 marina berths that will be created already have takers, Mr Beaver said.

Around 46,000 sq ft of commercial and retail floor space will be a feature of the new marina, plus a 6,500 sq ft pub and restaurant.

During the 2012 Olympic Games the firms occupying the commercial and retail space will move out for a period of 10 weeks so that that all the available space can be used by the Games organisers - part of it to provide for an international press centre.

Mr Beaver said the marina development would utilise decking made from recycled plastic, and rainwater would be collected for activities such as boat washing. It might also feature wind turbines for additional power generation.

He added: "We had to make this development as green as possible. It has to be said as well that local people have been incredibly understanding and supportive of the work that's going on here."

Another area of the old Osprey site is earmarked for the Castle Court development by the Sutton Harbour Group.

An eight-acre site next to Portland Castle, it is expected to create up to 300 new jobs, and is likely to include a hotel, restaurant, shops, apartments, self catering units, employment space and landscaped public areas.

Part of the scheme is expected to include a permanent base for the UK's senior, youth, junior and paralympic sailing squads. It too will play a major role supporting the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The head of regeneration for the South West Regional Development Agency, Bruce Voss, said: "We're very excited with the scale and pace of the development.

"It's important that we create a high-quality, visible gateway to Portland for the Olympics and beyond."