ITS concrete walls may be showing signs of wear and tear, but at least the future management of Southwold's historic harbour is starting to look more secure.

ITS concrete walls may be showing signs of wear and tear, but at least the future management of Southwold's historic harbour is starting to look more secure.

The harbour has been the subject of an ownership dispute for years and last year Waveney District Council, which has run the facility since the 1970s, agreed to start the process to get it signed back over to the town.

Now the Southwold Harbour Lands Trust has been set up to take over the management of the harbour and nearby car park and camping and caravan site when they are handed back to the townspeople some time next year.

Having taken a tour of the harbour and held initial meetings, the trust's first priority will now be trying to get urgently-needed repairs under way on the north dock wall.

Sections of the concrete wall, which protects a caravan park, businesses and roads leading into Southwold from flooding, have been crumbling and falling into the water in recent months.

Waveney District Council has budgeted to find money to cover the repair work, which could cost up to �3.4m.

Sue Allen, one of the harbour trustees, said: 'Things are very positive at the moment. The trustees are obviously concerned about who is going to pay for the new harbour wall and how soon that is going to be done, but representatives from Waveney District Council are coming to the next meeting of trustees to update us on what is happening.'

She added: 'The setting up of the trust is a positive development not only for Southwold, but also for the rest of Suffolk and there will be close consultation with not only the harbour users but the wider community around the Blyth Estuary.'

She said there was still some work to be done before the trust could be formally constituted, including getting the agreement from the minister for transport as outlined in the 1933 Southwold Harbour Act.

Once all the documents have been finalised, the trustees will be district and town councillor Sue Allen, landowner Andrew Blois, Simon Flunder, architect Brian Haward, Robert Lee, Mark Sargeantson and Walberswick parish councillor David Webb.

They will be headed by Alan Davies as chairman for the next six months.