Torridge District Council Planning Committee Gives Green Light to Revised Plans for Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre

Torridge District Council has resolved to grant planning permission for its amended plans for the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre.  The revised drawings and plans were submitted back in July 2024 in response to public feedback and changes in market demand and approved by the planning committee.

The revised plans will ensure that the lettable area can be optimised, by reducing ancillary spaces and that the completed building fully responds to current and future market requirements.

In response to public consultation the height and scale of the building has been reduced. In particular, the entire second floor has been removed, the extent of the first-floor area reduced, and the first floor of the Benson Building has been removed to overcome concerns around overlooking.

There will now only be one point of access to the site.  In response to residents' concerns around traffic, it has been determined that the removal of the second access onto New Quay Street (previously proposed to serve a car park) will simplify vehicle movements around the access to the site compared to the original scheme.

BAM Construction has been appointed to work with Torridge District Council to secure Planning Consent and deliver completed designs.  A main construction contract for the build of the Innovation Centre will be awarded in early 2025, with construction anticipated to start soon thereafter.  In order to allow the works to be planned and in anticipation of a construction contract, an event will be hosted later this month in Appledore, to allow local businesses to 'meet the contractor' and find out more about the work available.

Councillor Ken James, Leader of Torridge District Council, said:

"We strongly believe that these amendments ensure that we have the right plans for the right location, to ensure that Appledore and Torridge will be at the forefront of innovation and investment in clean maritime energy.  With the resolution to grant permission, we are now looking forward to working with our Contractor to get started on the building and construction works for this exciting project.  By getting as many local trades people involved in the build as possible, we hope that this will just the start of future job creation and investment in Appledore and Torridge."