Services such as maintenance, repairs, upgrades and the sale of boat accessories are economically and functionally a key part of the nautical sector. They are also of vital importance for employment and the local economy in the 2 Seas area. Facing a growing market demand, the Yacht Valley project aims to develop new nautical service centers to group these services in one location where several companies, offering different expertise and specialties, can provide the sector with services related to buying, maintaining and improving yachts. Potentially suitable areas for such service centres have been identified in Hellevoetsluis (NL), Ramsgate (UK), Vlissingen (NL), Dunkerque (FR) and Nieuwpoort (BE), using sites with differing former uses. These sites will be redeveloped to allow for new activities and in some cases, the integration of existing companies. The involvement of Local Authorities, waterway managers, businesses and trade organisations ensures that there is true knowledge and expertise exchange and a wide range of services being offered. A guideline document, publishing all the results of the project activities, will serve as a transferrable model for partners outside the 2 Seas area to adopt. Expected Results: What are the key results of the project?- Facts and figures about range, economic significance and market demand of nautical service sector.Insight into:- Facts and figures, available for spatial planning- High-opportunity business models for marina and nautical service sector- Strategic opportunities for sector development- Three pilot sites made suitable for nautical service- Knowledge of sites, previously used differently, can be prepared as a nautical service area.Insight into:- Development opportunities for nautical service in Nieuwpoort- Capacity optimisation of a nautical service location in Ramsgate- Options of re-use for a dry dock and the required restoration- Tested concepts of lay-out, facilities & nautical service centres management- Equipped work spaces for nautical service businesses- Equipped areas with facilities and management structure- Insight into possibilities of redevelopment and joint use of facilities in Ghent- Settlement of 25 new businesses and 200 new jobsAre all partners and territories benefitting from the results?Target groups:These include knowledge institutions and trade organisations, local authorities, entrepreneurs in nautical service sector, existing and new companies, local/regional planners, companies and marinas near service centres, technicians and other staff who can go to work in the service clusters, motor yacht owners and tourists.Beneficiaries:These include local authorities, port authorities, water managers and other authorities, inhabitants and professional training institutes.Benefits for territory:The five partnership areas will be ready and accessible for nautical service centers, with facilities and management structures. In addition, other cities in all the territories will benefit from the studies and pilot projects and enhanced information and knowledge will become available. New and existing companies and schools in all the areas will benefit from the improvement of facilities and marketing. There will also be better public-private cooperation.What are the effects / outcomes for the territories involved?Effects include a boost to economic development, innovation, research and cooperation between organisations and businesses, promoting sustainable re-use of old port locations and promoting entrepreneurship and employment.Outcomes include improving the accessibility of former harbour sites. An organisation of the final layout of sites for the nautical service sector and the necessary joint facilities for the companies.With the help of the partners the maximum capacity for the nautical service sector will be examined in the study. The rooms beneath the historical arch structures in Ramsgate will be used for the nautical retail trade and service companies.In Dunkirk, Bleu Marine will use a part of Dunkirk's former dock area as a nautical service centre and in Nieuwpoort, a site is being prepared as a nautical service centre. Its ambition is to realise an exemplary site in the field of ecological layout and facilitie