Royal William Yard centrepiece plans set for approval

Updated proposals for the redevelopment of the historic Melville Building at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard, which include a hotel, restaurant and retail space, are set to be given planning consent.Developer Urban Splash lodged planning and listed building applications with Plymouth City Council for the grade I-listed building in August 2016.The latest plans include a hotel as well as potential for retail, restaurant, office, residential and leisure uses. A new events space would also be created within the courtyard and the existing Devil’s Point carp park extended onto the adjacent reservoir.The application covers the refurbishment and repair of the building to enable the fit-out of sections by operators.Urban Splash lodged was previously granted consent for the partial conversion of the building for a 60-bedroom boutique hotel in 2014. However, the costs and difficulties obtaining funding meant the project was deemed unviable.The Melville Building is the centrepiece of the Royal William Yard site, originally operating as the administrative headquarters as well as featuring a storehouse for food, clothing and equipment.It features the site’s original chiming clock designed by Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, who went on to draw up the specification for the clock in the Houses of Parliament. The grade I-listed building is currently on the currently on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk register.Plymouth City Council’s planning committee will consider the new scheme on 9 February 2017. A report prepared for a he meeting has recommended planning consent is granted, subject to the signing of a Section 106 to secure contributions towards public space.Despite the recommendation, a total of 656 objections have been received. Concerns include the loss of green space at the reservoir, and potential noise pollution from the hotel and restaurants.The Royal William Yard was built between 1826 and 1835 and was a key depot for the Royal Navy. It closed in 1992, passing into private ownership.Urban Splash has previously redeveloped a number of grade I- and grade II-listed buildings at the of the 15-acre Royal William Yard site for residential, office, retail and leisure use.