New marina on the Dart
£75 million proposed investment plans submitted
Premier Marinas is submitting plans for a £75 million redevelopment of Noss on Dart marina.
Premier Marinas, which owns eight other south-coast marinas, acquired the site in 2016 after Noss Marina fell into administration in 2013.
“We bought Noss simply because it’s breathtakingly beautiful and that, along with the local cruising grounds, is what drives our customer’s choice of where to berth their boat,” said Premier Marinas CEO Pete Bradshaw. The planning application covers the marina, boatyard, commercial units, parking and a waterfront hotel. The plans include a new 75-tonne hoist and dock for lifting and launching.
The marina, which currently berths 180 boats rafted two by two, will be upgraded to finger pontoons with the ability to berth 232 boats plus a further dry stack option for 100 smaller motor boats. Provision for 70 summer boat storage spaces will increase to 100 during the winter. A 50-room hotel will include two restaurants and a spa. There will be a new home for South Devon College on site, and 21 commercial units. A strengthened road access bridge and separate pedestrian bridge are also planned. Outline plans for a residential development have been submitted.
Mindful of the history of the site, the plans include a reinterpretation of the iconic Phillips building and a heritage centre. Premier has consulted with the relatives of those who died during the bombing of the shipyard in World War II to best incorporate a memorial into the site design.
Work on the marina, hotel and boatyard will be prioritised and is expected to take three years with residential development, which is critical for funding the site, to follow.
Bradshaw said, “We expect on-site employment will be between 150-200 and there will be… economic benefit from the new homes, council tax and business that the site will generate.”