Plans submitted for dockyard site

INDUSTRIAL UNITS PART OF REVITILISATION’

- DANIEL CLARK

PLANS for to knock down two dockyard buildings to make room for industrial units at Devonport Dockyard have been submitted.

The plans for Oceangate are part of the next phase of the 'revitilisation' of the upper dockland area, but have sparked outrage.

Volunteers at Devonport Naval Heritage Centre called the proposed demolition "senseless cultural vandalism" which "treads all over Plymouth's naval heritage".

Volunteers who run the centre, which records the role the dockyard played supporting the Royal Navy during wartime, said it will mean they lose a café, toilets, exhibits space, workshops, a lecture room and most of its car park. However, Plymouth City Council has said the demolition is necessary to make room for the expansion of the Oceansgate freeport area and stressed the Naval Heritage Centre does not have to close and can remain in other buildings.