Dry dock crane would be 33% taller than workshops

A 50-tonne crane taller than surrounding buildings is one of the measures being proposed by Penzance Maritime Holdings Ltd in its planned regeneration of Penzance’s dry dock on Wharf Road.

The company says the Goliath or gantry crane, on steel rails, will appear on the skyline but will not obscure views of historic buildings in the nearby Chapel Street conservation area.

It would be able to move loads to and from any part of the dry dock and be around 33% taller than neighbouring workshops.

A statement accompanying an application for planning consent says: “In key views the top of the gantry will appear in the skyline but will not obscure views of Conservation Site assets in Chapel Street.

“The crane is likely to become a landmark and is necessary to the survival and growth of business at the dock.

“Not only is the crane appropriate to the maritime environment and future of the business;its impact is considered to be neutral to no more than minor to the group value of listed buildings, in order to conserve the maritime character of the conservation area.”

Adding the crane would mean assembled sections of ships would no longer have to be moved by road to the other side of the dry dock: “This will minimise the impact to day-to-day life around the shipyard and prevent road closures”, the statement says.

Other proposed work includes replacing a condemned and dangerous former carpenter’s workshop with a building of the same size, carrying out like-for-like repairs to staff and training facilities and replacing the roof of an office building.

The application states that these buildings date from the mid-19th century and make an important contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area, but are in poor condition.

The proposed restoration “will offer opportunities to conserve and enhance the historic environment as well as provide a welcoming environment for visitors”.

The plans also include the restoration of the dry dock gates and replacing the main gates with a new gate mounted on rollers to maximise safe access.

For more details see application PA24/02682 on the council’s planning portal.