Millbay marina work finally starts - next stop Plymouth's own Burj Al-Arab!

Back in March 2015, Plymouth City Council gave full planning permission (14/01103/FUL) for the building of three more blocks of flats within Millbay Marina Village. Unsurprisingly, there were many conditions attached, and work has only just started on the first block—Block B, next to the 1850s terrace on the Rusty Anchor Corner. Ownership of the site has also changed, and Sheffield landlord Ata Gunes is now the developer through his company Vomooo.

Permission was granted for 142 residential apartments within three separate blocks: Block A on the Pier, Block B on the Rusty Anchor site behind the Lifeboat Station and Block C on the present car park, but sited against the wall of Great Western Road.

Building Block A (potentially containing 64 apartments) will obviously present challenges as it will require substantial rebuilding of the pier—originally built by Brunel in 1844, significantly modified during WWII, and not assessed to be strong enough now to support a major building. The design of the pier block has been compared to the famous Burj Al-Arab hotel in Dubai.

Work has just started on the Rusty Anchor site, Block B, which contains 33 apartments—27 x 2 Beds, one 3-bed duplex, and four 3-bed penthouses. The initial phase of ground clearance is well underway and will be followed in April by six weeks of piling (approximately 100 piles). Thereafter, the actual construction will last about a year. So, if all goes to plan, the apartments will be ready for occupation in May 2026.