Western Morning News (Saturday)
More flats in revamp of royal yard’s centrepiece
THE population of Plymouth’s Royal William Yard is set to increase with Urban Splash announcing plans to build another 40 flats. The Manchester-headquartered company said it will create new homes in the Grade I listed Melville building along with 10,000sq of new commercial space.
In an update on plans as the firm celebrates its 30th anniversary, Urban Splash vowed to complete the restoration of Melville, the largest building in the former naval victualling yard.
Already a large part of the building has been transformed and is now home to a range of businesses including the Hub Box and Pho restaurants, BLOCK’s office space and gym, and will soon see the Everyman “sofa” cinema open.
In total there is already 115,000sq ft of commercial space in RWY, with much of it filled by a range of restaurants including Wagamama, Bistrot Pierre, Prezzo, The Club House and Wildwood. There are also independent businesses such as Le Vignoble, Yoke The Salon, The Hook & Line, Ocean Studios and Identity Fashion.
The yard already has 215 apartments and now looks set to have more. Urban Splash said: “We will complete our work at Melville – the biggest building at Royal William Yard in Plymouth. Our next phase here includes 40 new homes and 10,000sq ft more commercial space.”
It described Melville as the “striking centrepiece” of the yard, with its clock tower and “breathtaking views across the marina”.
Urban Splash said: “It is one of the last remaining buildings to be completed on this historic site, now an awardwinning waterside destination and community in the heart of Plymouth.
“We have some beautiful new spaces for businesses right in the centre of this much loved destination, with office, retail and leisure space from 300 to 100,000sq ft. There is always a buzz around the yard with a calendar of great events, such as monthly markets and theatre performances, through to live music, fitness classes and craft workshops.”
Construction work began on the Melville building in 2019 and was due to complete in 2021. But it was interrupted by the Covid pandemic and did not restart until May 2020.
In January it was confirmed work is under way to create the new Everyman “sofa cinema”. A spokesperson for Urban Splash said a “busy programme of work” over the next few months will see the Victoraian pile transformed to house “a waterfront cinema like no other”, blending “classic architecture with a modern interior”.
In November 2022, the South West’s largest independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisers PKF Francis Clark said it would relocate its Plymouth operations to a flagship office in the Melville. It has taken more than 8,000sq ft of space, across two floors, saying it reflects their “ambition to be a great place to work in every sense”.
That move came just two months after the BLOCK Gym opened in Melville, becoming the latest health and wellbeing business to launch in the yard. The 60-station gym contains a cardio suite, free weights area and functional training zone, equipped with the latest workout tracking tech. It is open 24/7.