The Universal Marina on the River Hamble and Willment's Shipyard on the River Itchen are to be modernised under an 18-month development programme.

Independent chartered accountancy firm Burnett Swayne has helped secure a £3m loan for the Willment Group on the River Hamble to modernise its Universal Marina, together with its 20-acre business park at Woolston, over the next 18 months.

Burnett Swayne has helped the family-owned company, which bought the marina four years ago, to upgrade the 260 berths, the dock and scrub-down area, and dispose of the old tandem and semi-tidal berths.

"This is what yacht owners expect today," said managing director Avia Willment. "The improvements will not only benefit the owners, but also the overall environment by decreasing the impact of the marina on the river's ecology."

There are also plans to provide one of the marina's main tenants, Azimut Yachts, with a purpose-built showroom, offices and ancillary workshops.

Willment's Shipyard at Woolston is also to be completely modernised. Two-century-old brick buildings, similar to those at Shamrock Quay, will be restored to offices and showrooms on two levels, with plans for a further 32,000 sq ft of new industrial units to be built on the waterfront.

"We were delighted to be asked to help the Willment Group raise the funds necessary to rejuvenate these two prominent sites on the South-ampton waterfronts," said Jon Lisby, a partner at Burnett Swayne.