Revised plans submitted for £130m historic naval site in Suffolk

New plans have been submitted for the final phase of a £130m restoration and redevelopment of the former HMS Ganges Royal Naval Training Establishment in Suffolk.

Architects Franklin Ellis have drawn up the revised plans for Wavensmere Homes and Galliard Homes (Haylink Limited), who have submitted them to Babergh District Council for the remaining phases of the Barrelman’s Point development. The latest phases will consist of 303 two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom houses. 

The 58-acre site, which is on the Shotley Peninsula, in Ipswich, at the Southern end of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths area of outstanding natural beauty, has lain derelict for 46 years.

The new project plans to preserve and reanimate three listed structures, two scheduled ancient monuments, and two further non-designated heritage assets. 

The original extant planning application for the site was approved in 2015, followed by a subsequent approval in 2020 for amendments to the phase one design. 

The first of 81 homes within phase one of the coastal development are nearing completion, comprising two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom houses.

In the new plans, the historic Nelson Hall – a former drill hall – will be restored and redeveloped to create a potential public library facility, meeting hall, and large café space. A convenience store, co-working office, creche, and museum are also proposed on site.

There will also be several landscaped public open spaces, biodiverse meadow planting, tree lined avenues, and children’s play areas.

The name for the development – Barrelman’s Point – refers to the person who would be stationed in the barrel of the foremast to aid navigation of the vessel. HMS Ganges Museum and Shotley Marina are both only a few minutes’ walk from the new development.  

>>See also: Proposals lodged to redevelop Derby’s historic Friar Gate Goods Yard

James Dickens, managing director at Wavensmere Homes, said: “Redeveloping this site is a huge task and responsibility. There is so much history to celebrate, alongside the significant opportunity to deliver outstanding new homes and community facilities. 

“The naval base has been out of bounds for 46 years, and there has been much to consider as we continue investing millions of pounds to inject a new lease of life into this highly scenic part of the Shotley Peninsula.”

Revised proposals include the preservation of a Grade II listed former military swimming pool, which will be turned into an indoor racquet centre for community use. Plans also include a “care village” with 75 apartments across five two-storey buildings. 

The revisions have reduced the size of an onsite 60-bedroom hotel to a six-bedroom hotel within Vicent House, which was formerly an Officers’ Mess.

“We are also nearing completion of the painstaking restoration of the Grade II listed 142ft naval mast, which we plan to unveil later this year,” Dickens said.

More than 160,000 Navy recruits passed through the gates of the HMS Ganges training base, until its closure in June 1976 .

The mast dates back to 1865 and was erected in 1907 where HMS Ganges, a 74-gun 18th Century ship had stood. A ceremony took place in mid-2022 to commemorate the last time the mast was manned, which was on 6th June 1974.  

Headquartered in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Wavensmere Homes has a pipeline of almost 3,500 properties.