Red Funnel have confirmed they will be submitting a revised planning application for the relocation of their East Cowes ferry terminal to the Isle of Wight council at the end of August 2015.
As is usually the case, once the application has been made public, residents will have three weeks to let the council know how they feel about the plans. The revised plans will also go on display in the Red Funnel terminal in East Cowes for those unable to view online or visit the planning offices in Seaclose Park.
Public feedback shaped the revisions
Many of the issues raised by the public during the earlier consultation have, according to the company, been addressed in the revised application.
A spokesperson for Red Funnel told OnTheWight last week,
“There have been a number of amendments to the original plan as a direct result of public feedback. One of these is the creation of an integrated transport hub, which people asked for through our public consultation. We have worked closely with Southern Vectis, which has agreed to run a service through the new marshalling yard. We have also allocated space within the yard for easy passenger drop off and taxi collections.
“Our consultation also showed there were concerns about pedestrian access from the marshalling yard into the town. Therefore a pedestrian access gate has been incorporated at the town end of the marshalling yard to let customers access East Cowes more easily.
“Results from our consultation earlier this year showed the majority of people preferred the idea of a mixed use waterfront development, featuring bars, restaurants, apartments and offices. Therefore our plans indicate these types of land uses for the current marshalling yard once operations move.”
Financing the development
Red Funnel confirm they’ve exchanged contracts on the sale of Trinity Wharf and Venture Quays with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). These are, however, conditional on planning permission and allocation of Solent LEP funding.
The £3m earmarked by Solent LEP for the purchase of Trinity Wharf and Venture Quays, which is likely to be agreed in late September, is a loan from the Growing Places Fund.
Red Funnel will pay the money back, with interest, and the interest will be reinvested into the Growing Places pot to fund other infrastructure projects across the region.
Received feedback from hundreds of residents
Red Funnel CEO, Kevin George, said:
“It was incredibly important to us that the project incorporated the views of local people, which is why we were so pleased to have received feedback from hundreds of residents during the public consultation process”.
“Wherever possible, the feedback has been incorporated into the revised plans and we are thankful to everybody for their comments and suggestions. We now have a solid scheme which will bring new life to East Cowes, creating business and leisure opportunities as well as new jobs.”
If permission is granted by the end of 2015, detailed design work will begin in 2016, with work on the ground starting in 2017.
