Royal William Yard transformation could be a model for Plymouth
Urban Splash has rescued Royal William Yard from oblivion. Keith Rossiter asks Tom Bloxham, its boss, whether he could do the same for Plymouth city centre.
IN A handful of years Urban Splash has transformed Plymouth's derelict Royal William Yard into one of the region's best destinations.
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Urban Splash MD Tom Bloxham pictured in The Cooperage
Over coffee at Seco Lounge, overlooking the former naval victualling yard's harbour, I asked for his advice on how to drag Plymouth city centre back to life.
"What I hate is Any Town UK – a shopping centre full of all the usual chain stores and with nothing special," he said. Plymouth stands out because the independent traders have managed to cling on. You have a fantastic city centre. There is an amazing collection of post-war buildings, so celebrate them. A lot of modern buildings are beautiful.
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"When I was a kid people were demolishing Victorian villas. They would never dream of doing that now.
"Decide what's special about Plymouth – the sea, the university, the architecture – and shout about it."
The secret to the success of Royal William Yard is the diversity of users. "Rather than doing just a building, I'm interested in the way an area works," he said.
"When we first came here in 1999 it was not even on the map. The MoD kept it shut off."
Working in partnership with the South West Regional Development Agency, the first thing Urban Splash did was to create apartments. Before the 2008 recession these did well. Urban Splash sold £30million worth on the first day they went on the market.
But Mr Bloxham, chairman and co-founder of Urban Splash, admitted: "In 2008 we went through a real problem and we were in the eye of the storm." The company responded by going into the rental market.
Royal William Yard really took off once they started to bring in other users – an art gallery, River Cottage Canteen and Deli, studios for Plymouth University fine art students, Seco Lounge and Prezzo, and the Town Mill Bakery.
Last year's British Art Show 7 brought visitors from across the South West. On the May bank holiday Monday this year the Royal William Good Food Market had 7,000 visitors. Alongside these activities are businesses like Bluestone 360, the successful brand and business development agency.
"Hundreds of jobs have been created and many new businesses have been set up," Mr Bloxham said. "But we think we are only halfway through the journey.
Mr Bloxham was in Plymouth to give a lecture as part of Plymouth University's celebration of its 150th anniversary. Speaking to an audience of architects, academics, planners, business people and a few Royal William Yard residents, he admitted that the diversity created some conflicts over issues such as noise. But he insisted: "Royal William Yard was always intended to be a mixed community."
Urban Splash is investing £20 million at Royal William Yard this year, and already the 20,000 square foot New Cooperage building is complete and looking for a tenant.
"New residents and shops will be coming soon, including some interesting brands that have never before been in Plymouth," Mr Bloxham said. "There is an interesting concept for a wine shop."
Residence 2, the old admirals' residence, is now complete and Urban Splash hopes to fill it with small businesses. It is also working with Plymouth City Council to create a History Centre in the Factory Cooperage, to house the Museum and Art Gallery stores, South West film and television archives and the Plymouth and West Devon Public Records Office.
It is also keen to attract a boutique hotel operator to the Melville building – what was the nerve centre of the victualling yard.
"Austerity brings innovation," he said – a lesson for city planners.
Comments
by Johnny_Brant
Sunday, May 20 2012, 9:34PM
“Hey Tom mate, Drake's Island is an untapped goldmine, buy it and turn it into a tourist magnet..:)”
by PL1Plym
Saturday, May 19 2012, 4:30PM
“Mark2Plym "your last paragraph speaks volumes of you."??? Not sure if this is a "dig"
here? Please forgive me as I'm only someone who was born in Plymouth, grew up on a council estate and lived in PL1 most of my life here. Would be terribly grateful if you could explain!”
by Nevman
Saturday, May 19 2012, 3:02PM
“Actually, terryhalls, I happen to live right next to the lower end of town - so I'm less willing to slander an entire community on the basis of a postcode than you are. Perhaps you should leave your acquired snobbery at home next time you venture west of Armada Way, and then you might notice there are plenty of decent Plymothians here who have just as much right to live in this city as you do.”
by Mark2Plym
Saturday, May 19 2012, 12:42AM
“Have read most comments and find them slightly concerning, to use the argument of Janner views, firstly the buildings are not fully used, an art gallery takes up a large amount of space, also a design company both I expect not making that much money! The building has been a white elephant from its first build there is one way to achieve it's full promise lease to small units ie antique stalls, food stalls, farmer products etc, Tavistock market would be a good example. Ps PL1Plym your last paragraph speaks volumes of you.”
by jannersontour
Thursday, May 17 2012, 12:20PM
“RWY lovely place however, could be better. Isnt that Plymouth all over?
Either way it is very nice, Use the RWY and enjoy it or loose it.
To understand Plymouths place in the world, try the PC game Sim City 3000.”
by ali luya
Thursday, May 17 2012, 9:15AM
“Reading through these comments, I realise how backward some Plymouth people can be. The term 'yuppie ' went out in the late eighties but is still used here like it is the latest 'in' word. RWY is magnificent. Yes..it needs better transport links and a wider variety of retail and service units ( NOT Tesco) and the parking is a mess, but just look at the view, immerse yourself in its history and enjoy showing it off to visitors. anyone who finds it easy to criticise this gem simply has not got out much.”
by terryhalls
Thursday, May 17 2012, 6:35AM
“NEVMAN.....read a few posts ....social cleansing...yeah why not....have you been down the lower end of town lately, overweight chavs sat in mobility scooters chugging away on duty free fags, essex wannbe single mothers feeding their kids fast food.....
i mean someone even said put a Tesco in RWY ?? come on....get real.....I don't earn megabucks, i work and have worked damn hard, i,ve said i,d love to live there.....could i afford a place down there?
yeah probably...because since 16 i,ve worked, brought my first house at 20, am mortgage free now, just sold another home and have never had to take out of the pot that others feed off !!!
BUT would i ? not yet....because she who must be obeyed says no ;) .....but when i do...pop in, i,ll make you a coffee and show you that even scummy little demport boys can do good.....(my own words...proud of my roots !!!!)
So yes....long live RWY ....”
by hstmtu4000
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 11:25AM
“As PL1Plym said "people from Plymouth don't travel very well probably due to the appalling transport links".Plymouth has evolved in relative isolation really and it shows in some "Janner" attitudes towards embracing necessary change.Not surprisingly from Exeter eastwards fast road and particularly rail links mean they have been effectively been much more under the London influence for several decades now and this has had a positive influence on local attitudes and commerce there compared to Plymouth which sadly still remains peripheral with its poor transport links.It no different to say 200 years when people hardly never left there own villages and the fastest thing that moved was a horse and being parochial was the norm.Then as the railway age,then the motoring age and finally the aviation came that all slowly became history except maybe here in Plymouth which surprisingly still seems to suffer a lag over of those parochial times,a sort of lost world as it were where some dinosuars still survive.”
by Nevman
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 10:41AM
“Several posters have commented favourably on the absence of "chavvy Janners", "the cast of The Hills Have Eyes" and "the dross" from RWY. How, then, can the same business model be applied to the rest of the city, where they actually live? If Plymouth's going to implement its own 'social cleansing' and magically transform itself into a Hooray Henry/Henrietta paradise, perhaps it should put some effort into attracting the sort of employers who pay enough to support that lifestyle.”
by Peter20113
Wednesday, May 16 2012, 7:49AM
“@timplymouth
No - the boarded up one
http://tinyurl.com/cjkhzjd
which is by the empty reservoir near Devils Point”