The proposed £22million transformation of the UK Docks-owned former Royal Navy Rum Store at Victoria Quay in Gosport, Hampshire is set to begin within days after full planning permission was granted to the project.

Plans for the ambitious regeneration of the Grade II listed building and local landmark cleared their final hurdle in satisfying planners at Gosport Borough Council last month. Work is scheduled to begin on the important enabling works in mid-October, with the walls being cleaned and the ground treated and prepared for the upcoming redevelopment work.

That work will involve internal and external alterations, including the reconstruction of the second storey, new floors, the installation of new stairs and a lift, as well as the provision of electricity and drainage, along with a rooftop bar area and a solar array.

The investment in the historic building, which once held the Royal Navy’s entire rum store at the height of the British Empire, could create nearly 7,000sqm of mixed-use employment space, mainly for maritime businesses, while other units are earmarked for retail and leisure.

The rooftop bar, with views across Portsmouth Harbour, would be a centre-piece attraction in the council’s wider plans to revitalise and reconnect the town’s historic waterfront.

The council was awarded £11m from the Government’s Local Regeneration Fund in 2023 to renovate the Rum Store building at the former Royal Clarence Yard, and that figure is being match-funded by UK Docks to turn the building into a huge asset for the local community.

The council has now approved the initial plans for the redevelopment, which also take care to safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed structure and protect its character and appearance.

Ben Mason, business development director at UK Docks: “It’s great to have reached this landmark moment with the council giving approval after satisfying themselves that the plans meet the highest standards for the building.

“Working with Gosport Borough Council has given us access to government funding and helped unlock solutions to problems that were bigger than just our site at Victoria Quay, such as local infrastructure. 

“The council has big plans for regeneration in the borough, and we're delighted to be a partner in that.

“We hope to release regular updates as the work gets underway on making this area one of the jewels in the crown of Gosport.”

Giles Pritchard, director of Pritchard Architecture, which has drawn up the plans said: “Following extensive work by the project team and close collaboration with the planning authority, the local community, and other key stakeholders, we are delighted to have reached this significant project milestone — marking another step toward restoring this magnificent building and giving it a new lease of life.”