Savills was successful in achieving outline planning consent for the comprehensive waterfront regeneration of the 18ha former Vosper Thornycroft shipyard on the River Itchen at Woolston, Southampton. Savills also provided EIA consultancy advice for the scheme.
The development, now known as Centenary Quay, comprises a major riverside mixed-use scheme including up to 1,620 new homes, over 7,000 sqm of retail space, as well as community facilities. Savills has been retained to provide planning consultancy advice throughout the implementation of this multi-phased scheme. So far, this has involved achieving detailed planning permission for over 1,100 new homes across five phases that are either occupied, complete or under construction, including a landmark waterfront tower, which will be the tallest building on the south coast at 27 storeys. New riverside housing sits alongside retail and community facilities located at the heart of the development, including a new library, day nursey, gym, cafés and restaurants, which benefit new residents, as well as the existing community.
Throughout the implementation of the scheme, Savills has coordinated the multi-disciplinary team and led planning discussions and engagement with the Local Planning Authority (LPA). As a result, Savills has established a strong relationship with Southampton City Council, which has been fundamental in the delivery of the scheme. Like many multi-phased developments, necessary amendments have had to be made through the lifetime of the project. Savills has worked alongside Crest and the LPA to find and implement pragmatic planning solutions to deliver Centenary Quay, which has provided the flexibility to enable requisite modifications to be made, such as layout and phasing amendments, in order to achieve a better outcome.
The scheme is now entering its final phase and Savills is retained to advise on this. The completed development will create a vibrant new riverside community, which is already having a positive socio-economic impact on the locality, as well as opening up this part of Southampton’s waterfront for the first time in over a century.