Revised plans submitted for Harbourside scheme

Sutton Harbour Holdings plc has submitted a revised planning application for its Boardwalk harbourside regeneration scheme in Sutton Harbour.

The Boardwalk is a key part of the Sutton Harbour Vision that aims to create more than 1,300 jobs and generate £48 million per annum for the local economy by regenerating sites around the Harbour over the next five to 10 years.

The latest scheme includes major changes to the original plans in response to extensive consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders including local residents, businesses, Plymouth City Council, English Heritage and the Environment Agency.

The Boardwalk includes a decked walkway over the Harbour to link Guy’s Quay with Vauxhall Quay, creating a continuous waterfront route that connects with the northern and eastern sides of Sutton Harbour.

The Boardwalk would include two family-friendly restaurants and a pavilion, creating 50 jobs and generating around £1.2 million per annum for the city’s economy by attracting more visitors to the city and waterfront.

Jon Turner, Director of Projects at Sutton Harbour Holdings plc, said: “The Boardwalk remains a vital element of the Sutton Harbour Vision and we have taken on board a wide range of comments resulting in a redesigned scheme which is substantially reduced in size.

“We have cut the amount of commercial space by half so there are two restaurants instead of four, and just one pavilion instead of three kiosks. The two restaurants are now single storey, and the boardwalk itself is smaller so there is much more open water.

“The new design is also more in keeping with the local setting and borrows its design from local buildings like the old Fish Market and the timber and stone warehouses that originally lined the Harbour, so the new buildings will be clad in timber and glass.

“We are also planning to introduce a new harbour ferry service, and there will be other improvements to the Harbour’s rich historic fabric as well as tidying up the quay edge and nearby spaces. We believe this is an exciting opportunity to continue the transformation of Sutton Harbour into a destination of regional importance and national significance as part of Britain’s Ocean City.”

Mr Turner said the revised plans, which have now been submitted to Plymouth City Council for determination, had been well received during a consultation event in October with more than three quarters of attendees agreeing that the changes were a step in the right direction.

The proposals have also been welcomed by the city’s business community.

Peter Hartland, Chief Executive of Plymouth Chamber of Commerce said: “I welcome these plans for the new Sutton Harbour Boardwalk. Having taken on board feedback from the public these revised plans look exciting. Plymouth has a vision to become one of Europe’s finest, most vibrant waterfront cities, and with proposed developments like these, it is clear to see that we are taking significant strides towards this goal. With the prospect of creating sustainable new jobs and generating greater income and value-add for the city, this development aligns with Plymouth's growth vision, for the benefit of residents and our vital tourism industry. For these reasons, Plymouth Chamber is pleased to be supportive of Sutton Harbour's development proposal.”

Amanda Lumley, Chief Executive of Destination Plymouth, said: “Our ambition is that Plymouth will be the UK’s premier marine city by 2020, famous for its waterfront, and we need the sort of quality investment being proposed in the Boardwalk to make that a reality. Filling in the missing link around the Harbour and creating a family-friendly destination will be a considerable draw for visitors and an asset to our waterfront, especially in the build-up to the Mayflower 2020 celebrations, which are only five years away.”

John Westwell, Managing Partner of regional law firm Foot Anstey, which is among the growing number of professional firms with offices at Sutton Harbour, said: "Sutton Harbour Holdings are leading with a real vision for the Harbour and there's no doubt that the implementation of this scheme will be transformational for both visitors and businesses.”
Chris Arscott, Chairman of the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said: “The Plymouth Waterfront Partnership warmly welcomes ambitious investment in the city's Waterfront areas. As a primary consultee for PCC Planning we support proposals promoting job creation, connectivity, growth of independent business and an enhanced offer that sets Plymouth apart to become a leading European destination. Whilst PCC Planners respond to the architectural designs, in principle we support Sutton Harbour Holdings' investment proposals to regenerate the historic Sutton Harbour, vitally enhancing and strengthening the links between the Barbican, Sutton Harbour and Bretonside communities."

And Ben Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council (DCBC), said the Boardwalk was in line with the objectives of the Peninsula City Deal: "DCBC has been a leading partner in the preparation for the Peninsula City Deal and specifically its core marine objective. It is clear that the proposals at Sutton Harbour are well aligned with this strategy and we therefore are able to offer our in principle support to the initiative.”

Commercial property agents for the scheme say there is already interest from a number of national restaurant operators looking to expand in the South West.

Martin Bloom, Managing Director of Insight Retail Consulting, which specialises in advising the restaurant and retail sector and has been responsible for some of the key lettings in Royal William Yard, said restaurant operators from across the country viewed Plymouth as an untapped market and were very interested in the Boardwalk as a location.

He said: “Today we are representing a number of restaurant brands who see the Boardwalk development as an attractive waterside location to dine out. We believe it would act as a catalyst to making it a more family focused area while helping to reconnect this historic part of Plymouth with the city centre.”

And John Kinsey, Director from the Exeter office of JLL, who are also marketing the Boardwalk to potential occupiers, said: “There are a number of national brands who are interested in taking space at this scheme and we are in advanced talks with two national companies. I would fully expect the two restaurant units proposed to be fully let before any development work started.”

Download Boardwalk Location Plan.

 

 







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