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Council changes design plans for historic wharf

Alison Stephenson
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Red Earth An architect's drawing of the wharf viewed from above. The river is high and there is a broad walkway along the side of it which has people walking along it. There is a public square which has trees, planters, tables and chairs. There is a small car park. The buildings are a mixture of styles. The ones in the foreground and centre look like they have a warehouse design while the ones further along the river are at least five storeys high.Red Earth
The developer said the construction would cost more than £30m and was expected to take three years

A Devon council has amended plans for the regeneration of a derelict riverside site in Bideford.

Torridge District Council's planning committee agreed the apartment balconies in the plans for Brunswick Wharf should be recessed and the design match a warehouse-style.

Developer Red Earth said it planned to start work on building 101 homes, retail units, restaurant, quayside walkway, public square and car park on the East-the-Water site in September.

The developer said the project would cost more than £30m and take three years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Google Maps Brunswick Wharf on a bright blue sky day seen from a road bridge spanning the river. It is low tide so the muddy riverbed is exposed. The wharf is derelict and there are two portacabins on the ground with three storey buildings behind them. Behind those are mature trees and some further buildings. Google Maps
Historic England expressed concern about the effect of the development on nearby historic buildings

Director of Red Earth Simon Friend said the changes gave the project more of a "wharf-style aesthetic" which was encouraged by the council's conservation officer and Historic England.

Historic England said it had no objection but remained concerned about the scale of the three main accommodation blocks.

The organisation also had concern about the impact on the Grade I listed Long Bridge and Royal Hotel, and a number of Grade II structures on both sides of the river.

The changes will mean pedestrians losing 3ft (0.9m) of river walkway in certain points but Mr Friend said that access for machinery would improve.

Councillor Chris Leather said the recessed balconies were better than the previous "porcupine" effect and he did not think a slight reduction in the walkway was significant.

Mr Friend said it was a "massively important regeneration project for Bideford" which had "huge local support".

He said the development would pay tribute to the site's history through the preservation of the I Baker & Son plaque and a storytelling approach throughout the scheme.

This would be achieved in collaboration with local organisations such as the Way of the Wharves and Bideford Bridge Trust, he added.

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