Plans to revitalise Kingston Wharf at East Cowes have been branded a ‘strategic commitment and investment’.
Major regeneration ideas were unveiled last month by Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) to turn the wharf into a modern marine industrial park and boatyard storage facility.
The area has seen its main tenants, Isle of Wight Aggregates leave the site two years ago and the most recent loss, Isle of Wight Fuels, in August, with their workspace decommissioned and in the process of being demolished.
McIntosh: The right time to makes this strategic commitment
Speaking at the CHC’s annual meeting, chief executive and Cowes harbourmaster Stuart McIntosh said the landscape of East Cowes had changed and as owners of the Kingston Wharf since 2012 CHC were looking at new strategies and opportunities, while also preserving the strategically important site for the wharf.
McIntosh said,
“Sustainable harbour development, supporting and facilitating marine services and infrastructure are high priorities for CHC.
“The former aggregates site has been on the market for a couple of years but without significant resulting interest, so CHC has considered alternative, strategically beneficial opportunities for regenerating the site with this all-time deep water access and wharfage.
“CHC has produced an outline plan to develop the site as a modern marine industrial park and boatyard storage facility with further investment into purpose new built commercial units on the upper and lower terraces.
“CHC believes this is the right time to makes this strategic commitment and investment to regenerate Kingston Wharf for the benefit of the whole River Medina and the port of Cowes.”
Phased delivery
Due to the cost of the project, the commission said it is likely to require grant funding support and could deliver the development in a phased manner with new income from an expansion of boat storage facilities and utilising the wharf for larger vessels.
Cowes Harbour Advisory Committee has confirmed its support for the project, with chair John Corby saying he finds the plans really exciting and fantastic news for smaller operators in the marine industry.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
