After standing empty for years, a former aggregate wharf in East Cowes has been given the go-ahead to regenerate into a ‘modern marine industrial park’.
Kingston Wharf in East Cowes, owned by Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) since 2012, will now become a boat-storage facility with wash-down capacity after the Isle of Wight Council approved plans last month.
Regenerating the site
Other plans to further regenerate the site — including a large 100-tonne boat crane, 11 workshops and mooring pontoons — were also approved but require further permission for the finer details.
The revitalisation plans were first revealed by CHC at the end of 2020 and branded a strategic commitment and investment.
Major tenants left the site
In the past few years, major tenants, Isle of Wight Aggregates and Isle of Wight Fuels, have both left the site.
The site was marketed as an aggregate wharf but no operator was secured.
The council say the plans would bring the site back into active use without blocking the potential to turn it back into a wharf at a later date.
Develop into a modern marine industrial park
Former Cowes harbourmaster Stuart McIntosh previously said the plans would develop it into a modern marine industrial park and believed it was the right time to make the commitment for the whole of the River Medina.
Contamination concerns
While the plans were approved, concerns were raised by the local authority’s environmental health officer about any potential contamination of the site due to its former uses — which included engineering, gas works and fuel distribution, with asbestos presence mentioned.
Conditions have been added to the permission ensuring any contamination risks would be robustly assessed and the site would be safe and suitable for its intended use.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
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