Torridge District Council has approved the amended plans for the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre.

The updated drawings and plans, submitted in July 2024, were developed in response to public feedback and evolving market demands, receiving the green light from the planning committee.

The revised plans aim to maximise the lettable area by minimising ancillary spaces, ensuring that the final structure meets both current and future market needs.

In response to public consultation the height and scale of the building has been reduced. In particular, the entire second floor has been removed, the extent of the first-floor area reduced, and the first floor of the Benson Building has been removed to overcome concerns around overlooking.

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There will now only be one point of access to the site. In response to residents' concerns around traffic, it has been determined that the removal of the second access onto New Quay Street (previously proposed to serve a car park) will simplify vehicle movements around the access to the site compared to the original scheme.

BAM Construction has been appointed to work with Torridge District Council to secure Planning Consent and deliver completed designs. A main construction contract for the build of the Innovation Centre will be awarded in early 2025, with construction anticipated to start soon thereafter. In order to allow the works to be planned and in anticipation of a construction contract, an event will be hosted later this month in Appledore, to allow local businesses to 'meet the contractor' and find out more about the work available.