New houses planned at Royal William Yard

MAJOR SHAKE UP AT HISTORIC NAVAL BUILDINGS

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

SMALL businesses are to be moved out of a huge building in Plymouth's Royal William Yard so it can be turned into houses:

The Ocean Studios hub for creative and arts businesses is to be shifted to Devonport Guildhall, so the remainder of the Factory Cooperage block can become residential.

A planning application to regenerate the remaining section of the Grade I listed building has been submitted to Plymouth City Council. It will mark the second phase of development of the Factory Cooperage and create 24 new “luxury” townhouses.

The proposals would complete the transformation of the historic former victualling yard building, following the completion of a first phase of housing in the past two years. Urban Splash, the Manchester-based company redeveloping the yard, said the planning application represents the next chapter in the ongoing transformation of the 200-year-old former naval base.

Urban Splash has partnered with Totnes-based Poppy Developments to deliver the housing scheme and said it will build on the success of phase one, which has already seen 24 town houses built overlooking a courtyard and gardens. Meanwhile, Real Ideas aims to move its Ocean Studios from the Factory Cooperage to Devonport Guildhall.