Plans to transform Sutton Harbour withdrawn in face of protest
DRAMATIC plans to transform Plymouth's historic Sutton Harbour have been withdrawn.
Proposals to create a new boardwalk featuring restaurants, shops and cafes were met with fierce local opposition when they were unveiled last month. The £4million boardwalk scheme was intended as the first phase of a major project to redevelop the harbour.
A spokesman for Sutton Harbour Holdings said yesterday that the company was looking at how it could refine the boardwalk proposals after discussions with the city council and English Heritage.
Sutton Harbour says it will submit details of a revised scheme soon.
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Jason Schofield, the chief executive, said: "We are committed to delivering the boardwalk project which will bring a wide range of social and economic benefits to the harbour and we will be bringing forward a revised scheme shortly.
"We want to ensure that we strike the right balance between increasing the vitality of Sutton Harbour and respecting the harbour's historic setting, and with that in mind we are working very closely with English Heritage on refining our proposals."
The boardwalk project was part of Sutton Harbour Holdings' £75million masterplan to promote the harbour as a national destination.
It outlined new restaurants, cafés, shops, offices and apartments on underused sites around the harbour. The company said it would create a waterside destination to rival the likes of Albert Dock in Liverpool and St Katharine Docks in the City of London.
The first project from the masterplan, a new environmentally friendly café called 'the real food kitchen', to be built on Quay Point, was approved by Plymouth City Council last week and will create five jobs when it opens later this year.
The boardwalk was intended to be a free-standing timber structure on steel and concrete legs. It would run from the Three Crowns pub along Vauxhall Quay towards the Sutton Harbour Marina, linking Guys Quay and Vauxhall Quay for the first time. It would hold three buildings made up of 20,000sq ft of space for a mixture of shops and restaurants.
Local objectors branded the project a "profiteering exercise" that would destroy the heritage of the area.
The Action Group for Sutton Harbour (AGSH), which was formed to fight a previous application in 2006, raised a number of "serious concerns" about the proposals.
Chairman Ben Sanders had claimed the land beneath the harbour was contaminated.
Reacting to the news last night, he told The Herald: "The action group are both delighted and relieved by the withdrawal.
"We hope that any future applications will seek to preserve the heritage and surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty."
Dave Cuthbert, chairman of the Plymouth Fisherman's Association, had previously told The Herald that the fishing community was concerned about loss of space to tie up and dry boats.
16 Comments
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by tim_bucktoo
Friday, March 22 2013, 7:20AM
“How on earth can Sutton Harbour be compared to Liverpool Albert Dock?? The Albert Dock is the largest single collection of Grade 1 listed buildings in England outside of London! Fill the Albert Docks with charity shops and it would still be more impressive than SH!!!”
by Malhowl
Thursday, March 21 2013, 8:45PM
“If the Council and SHH want to enhance the area they need to compulsary purchase the old Engineering Works on Vauxhall Street, clear the site and build a boatel on the site.
The building is a disgrace and being on the edge of the Barbican its broken and smashed windows are not a good advert - except for the Lufwaffe. A boatel would be an added facility for the Marina.
In addition, it would be an ideal base, if the Council was to encourage events like Powerboat Grand Prixs, Admiral's Cup, Fastnet and Ostar.
Come on Councillors do something - although the Council Officers probably say to yo, "COMPUTER SAYS NO" and then there is Jamaica House (former Barbican Antinque Market) do something about that - we demand vibrancy, you were all elected to do something, not just do what the Council Officers say you can do.
OUR city was here before you lot, it will be here after the worms have gobbbled you up. You are just stewards,as elections are looming, let us see you are not just BARstewards!!!!
Regards,
Malhowl”
by Malhowl
Thursday, March 21 2013, 8:45PM
“If the Council and SHH want to enhance the area they need to compulsary purchase the old Engineering Works on Vauxhall Street, clear the site and build a boatel on the site.
The building is a disgrace and being on the edge of the Barbican its broken and smashed windows are not a good advert - except for the Lufwaffe. A boatel would be an added facility for the Marina.
In addition, it would be an ideal base, if the Council was to encourage events like Powerboat Grand Prixs, Admiral's Cup, Fastnet and Ostar.
Come on Councillors do something - although the Council Officers probably say to yo, "COMPUTER SAYS NO" and then there is Jamaica House (former Barbican Antinque Market) do something about that - we demand vibrancy, you were all elected to do something, not just do what the Council Officers say you can do.
OUR city was here before you lot, it will be here after the worms have gobbbled you up. You are just stewards,as elections are looming, let us see you are not just BARstewards!!!!
Regards,
Malhowl”
by tony1976
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 9:44PM
“Shame on you people who are holding up any progress that Plymouth attempts to make to itself. You need to move on to the 21st century. Plymouth is quickly falling behind other cities because of 'self importance' people holding sway over developments that could put Plymouth back on the map. The same happened with the Woolworths skyscraper plan, which was thrown out, not becase of lack of funds, but because some 'moaners' which did not like the mess, shot themselves in the foot by getting the development thrown out. No wonder Exeter is taking the lead over Plymouth. They have people at the top with vision for their city.”
by Michael-T
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 7:10PM
“*Yawn* ...and yet another vision for a 21st century vibrant Plymouth fades to nothing! If you want a true vision of the city's future - take a walk into the bottom half of the city centre shops! ...Hey, wait a minute, is that a piece of tumbleweed I see blowing down the road... *Yawn*
COME TO PLYMOUTH AND ENJOY THE.. THE... THE... ER?
Hmm ...what we need is a Royal William Yard type 'can do' attitude and vision throughout the city if we are to survive the new dog eat dog world - let's get one step ahead of the competition..”
by CharlieDodd
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 1:54PM
“..'SHH chief executive said: "We are committed to delivering the boardwalk project"..
Don't get your hopes up mate, SHH are in Plymothians bad books because you closed the airport, so to get their own back they'll automatically oppose everything SHH propose..;)”
by Waltersmith
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 1:24PM
“It is surely to do with the quality of the development.
A bit of timber with a few sheds on masking the views of the buildings behind is not a way forward. By all means have the walkway but link that into quality developments that actually may cost SHH some money - which they patently haven't got and with their plans for the airport about to be thwarted my guess is that they won't exist in a few years”
by alleycat
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 12:59PM
“So there you have it SHH have withdrawn the plan , why? when they will not budge an inch over the Airport Lease .
The Airport issue far more open , they failed to run a viable Airport and Service sold landing slots etc,. , thus having not done what they where by contract charged to do .
Now back to Sutton Harbour , clearly there is a legal/planning reason not disclosed by SHH that has changed their plans .
it could be that there is doubt over their ownership of certain areas such as Marrowbone Slip that as far as i know was gifted by the Crown to the boat owners/ people of Plymouth .
But one things for sure good or bad if they could have implemented this scheme they would have , whatever the people think .
Its proven by past practice and i am sure will again by future actions of this money driven company .”
by notolisbon
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 11:58AM
“The economy's not everything - people's happiness is.
If the moaning minnies below want an overbuilt cesspit - move to one of the many up North.”
by jannersontour
Wednesday, March 20 2013, 11:28AM
“Good.”