Work to get underway at Bideford’s £30m Brunswick Wharf redevelopment

Work will start in September on the £30million redevelopment of Brunswick Wharf in Bideford, bringing the site back into use after four decades.

Developer Red Earth’s plan for the historic wharf site at East-the-Water, which received planning permission last year, includes more than 100 homes, boutique retail units, a restaurant and quayside walkway, public square and car parking.

Construction work is expected to take three years, with Morgan Sindall appointed as the main contractor in April.

Torridge District Council’s planning committee agreed modifications to the scheme this week to enclose apartment balconies along the riverside frontage rather than having them projected, and design improvements to better replicate warehouse-style buildings.

Director of Red Earth Simon Friend said the changes gave the project more of a ‘wharf-style aesthetic’ something that was encouraged by the council’s conservation officer and Historic England.

“This is a genuine attempt to bring in collaborative approach and bring improvement to the scheme,” he told councillors.

Historic England has no objection but remains concerned about the scale of the three main accommodation blocks and the impact on historic buildings – the Grade I listed Long Bridge and Royal Hotel – and a number of Grade II structures on both sides of the river.

The changes will mean pedestrians losing half a metre’s width of river walkway in certain points but Mr Friend said that access for machinery would improve.

Cllr Chris Leather said the recessed balconies were better than the previous ‘porcupine’ effect and he didn’t think a slight reduction in the walkway is significant.

Cllr Simon Newton said the plans are ‘a distinct improvement’.

The redevelopment of Brunswick Wharf has been a vision for many years. Part of it has been used as a car park for some time and the schooner Kathleen and May was based there for a few years before 2011. Since then the buildings have all fallen into disrepair.

Mr Friend said he is delighted the project is finally coming forward.

He added: “It’s a massively important regeneration project for Bideford and a very exciting one which has had huge local support.

“I believe in Bideford and lots of people do as we are seeing younger generations coming in and setting up businesses here.

“There is a lot to be positive about, this is a beautiful town architecturally, it has had its struggles but people are working really hard to address those and this is part of whole mix of regeneration and economic development proposals many people are working together to bring to fruition.”

The development will also pay tribute to the site’s history through the preservation of the ‘I Baker & Son’ plaque as well as a storytelling approach throughout the scheme.

This will be achieved in collaboration with local organisations such as the Way of the Wharves and Bideford Bridge Trust.