THE first stage of an exciting community project to create an artificial reef sanctuary to boost tourism and the economy could start in July.

The people behind the not-for-profit Wreck to Reef group have applied for a special licence so they can create their reefs on the seabed a mile south of Ringstead on the edge of Weymouth Bay.

This has to be advertised by law to give people and interested groups the opportunity to comment and a copy can be seen in the offices of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Project co-ordinator Neville Copperthwaite says if a deposit licence is issued by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), the base for the first part of the sanctuary, a lobster restocking reef, will then be laid in preparation for 6,000 juvenile lobsters being placed on the restocking reef each year.

The base will consist of 1,750 tonnes of Portland stone arranged in 350 five tonne heaps within a 200-metre circle.

This part of the project has been funded by a £111,000 grant from the rural action group Chalk and Cheese which distributes EU money to community schemes.

The outer layer of the reef will be made up of ‘bereavement pyramids’ – cremated ashes in stone cases. Families of people who wish to have their ashes at sea will be invited to participate in this scheme as a way of funding the project.

It is hoped two warships that will form the separate diving reefs will be scuttled sometime after the Olympics next year.

Mr Copperthwaite is not anticipating any major hurdles during the deposit licence consultation as he has done a lot of groundwork over the last two years, working with groups and statutory authorities to overcome difficulties.

The project looked like it was on a collision course with the sailing community over fears it would interfere with boat movements but ‘fruitful’ discussions have led to the creation of a ‘memo of understanding’.

Mr Copperthwaite said: “This project has been an open book right from the start.

“Rather than just advertise the statutory notice about our application for a deposit licence, we have put up a big display in the council offices so people know what’s going on.”

The display and statutory notice can be seen in the council offices until June 16.