PRELIMINARY works to prepare Hayle's South Quay for the building of a new supermarket have begun.
Boats have been moved off the derelict quay while workmen have been spotted carrying out preparatory works.
Harbour master Peter Haddock said: "We are in the process of moving the boats because they want to close the quay off for health and safety reasons for the forthcoming development of the foodstore.
"I am having additional ladders fabricated to go on North Quay so that I can relocate (them) onto North Quay and East Quay that will then leave the quay free of vessels for the duration of the works.
"The main reason for that is a health and safety concern.
"The commercial boat owners and the leisure boat owners have been most helpful. I think they can probably see the benefits that will be generated from the development."
Cornwall councillor for Hayle North, John Pollard, told Hayle Town Council last Thursday that work on the quay had started.
"South Quay has begun," he said. "They are certainly doing some work on the scrub and seaweed."
In May last year, the South Quay project was approved by planners, giving Dutch real estate firm ING permission to build a new supermarket, 30 homes, a waterfront restaurant and a small retail unit on the quay, which has been derelict for 30 years.
The harbour has been the subject of numerous stalled and failed regeneration schemes in the past, which have raised and dashed the hopes of townspeople.
The multimillion-pound project could be completed as early as 2014.
Last November, it emerged that Asda looked set to win the long-running battle between supermarket chains.
It confirmed that the chain was close to completing a deal with Hayle harbour owner ING.
With a retailer interested in the foodstore, ING Red UK's national acquisitions director Simon Clarke said in November that the company hoped to start work on the scheme by this spring.
He added at that time that work on the site was expected to take 12 months.
Mr Clarke said he could not comment further at this time.
Asda did not respond to The Cornishman's repeated requests for updates on the progress of the agreement.
