Plans approved for Kingston Wharf regeneration on Isle of Wight

Published by

Sam Pither

Plans to convert a former aggregate wharf in East Cowes to a modern marine industrial park have been approved by Isle of Wight Council.

Drawn up by Fareham-based HGP Architects, the plans will see a new boat storage facility with wash-down capacity built on the Kingston Wharf site, which has been owned by Cowes Harbour Commission since 2012.

The original planning statement for the site was submitted by Vail Williams last year.

The redevelopment comes after the previous tenants, Isle of Wight Aggregates and Isle of Wight Fuels, left the site, with efforts to find a new operator unsuccessful.

The council's environmental health officer raised concerns about the potential contamination of the site due to its previous uses, which included engineering, gas works, and fuel distribution and the presence of asbestos.

Despite these concerns, the plans were approved with the condition that any contamination risks would be thoroughly evaluated and that the site would be made safe and suitable for its intended use.

Featured image credit: Cowes Harbour Commission

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.