About the Regeneration
The final submitted plans, which have been subject to extensive public consultation, consist of the following key elements.
Marine Employment
Approximately 4,200 square metres of office and light industrial for predominantly marine use is planned in three locations across the site. The offices are likely to be occupied by companies working in areas such as boat sales, brokerage, naval architecture, surveying and marine insurance.
Marine workshops available for rent by companies involved in trades such as marine engineering, boat repair and boat building will be provided in the boatyard area of the site. The marina offices will be on the quayside.
Noss Marine Academy
A new permanent facility for South Devon College's Noss Marine Academy will provide space for up to 267 full time and 425 part time students in a refurbished Noss House, formerly the offices of Philip & Son Shipbuilders. The building will include: classrooms; a wet classroom; a marine workshop for the students; a learning resources room; catering facilities; a student common room; and shower/changing rooms.
The Noss Marine Academy will help to prepare students for employment in the maritime industry with courses including: yacht operations; navigation and meteorology; communications at sea; marine engineering; and leadership and management.
Marina
Additional berths are planned bringing the total to approximately 357 berths in a new marina design. There will be a mix of berths for yachts from 6m to 20m with no encroachment of the marina into the existing fairway in the River Dart. Marine retailing will also be provided, for example a ship's chandlery.
Boatyard
The existing slipway will be converted into a lock and lifting basin for boats, with a 30 tonne crane trebling the existing lifting capacity. Total hard standing for winter use will effectively be increased by 25% by operating a rotation system. A new 23m pontoon will be built for a ferry service to Dartmouth, bringing visitors directly into the heart of the site, and there will be free berthing space for visiting tenders.
Improved facilities will be provided for the Dart Sailability Trust which has been operating sailing courses for the disabled at Noss for many years.
Leisure
The 5* hotel at the heart of the new development will have 45 - 65 bedrooms, conference facilities and a health spa open to the public. There will be a fine dining restaurant and a cafe on the quayside also open to the public.
Housing
There will be a mix of market housing on the site with flats, individual terraced and semi-detached family houses. South Hams District Council aims for 50% of all new housing to be affordable for those in housing need, but considers the Noss site to be unsuitable for affordable homes. The Noss owners have therefore agreed to make a contribution of around £12m towards the provision of affordable homes at sustainable locations in the area.
Access & Parking
An improved entrance to the site on Bridge Road will be provided, together with a new bridge over the railway line. There will be a new ferry service between Noss and Dartmouth, reinstating the link that once existed for employees of the shipyard. A foot and cyclepath will be providing linking the Higher Ferry with the site, while existing paths through the site will be improved. A mini bus service already transports students to and from the Noss Marine Academy.
All the new homes on site will have their own parking and a multi-storey car park will be provided next to the boatyard. There will be overspill parking in the woodland car park near the site entrance and additional parking in the open boat storage area during the summer months.
Sustainability and the Environment
Low and zero carbon energy technologies are planned including a water source heat pump in the river which will help to supply hot water and heating to the hotel and some of the new homes. Homes and other buildings on the site will be designed to meet stricter modern energy saving standards.
A detailed Environmental Assessment of the Noss site has been undertaken and a range of protection and enhancement measures designed for: bats, reptiles, winter waders and marine invertebrates.