Contact:
Emma Barnett
Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd
7 St Peter Street
Winchester
SO23 8BW

01962 877414
e.barnett@adamshendry.co.uk

Adams Hendry has been appointed by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to secure the consents necessary to implement a programme of improvements and refurbishments at Hythe Marine Park.

The site previously known as RAF Hythe has been used continuously for the construction, repair and maintenance of vehicles and sea-going craft since its establishment in 1919. SEEDA acquired the site from the Ministry of Defence in October 2007, with the aim of maintaining it as a principal location for marine industries. The Solent Waterfront Study, prepared by Adams Hendry in 2007 on behalf of SEEDA, highlighted a strong economic justification and a strategic need to encourage and support marine industries in the Solent area.

The research also points to the increasing scarcity of waterfront land available for marine industries to establish and grow, and highlights the importance of safeguarding sites such as RAF Hythe for this purpose.

SEEDA has embarked on a programme of improvements and refurbishments designed to improve the utilisation of existing facilities, bring the accommodation up to modern standards and extend and enhance its versatility for marine industrial use. Current proposals include the construction of two new marine production buildings, small flexible workshop units and ancillary office units to support existing industrial units and the replacement of the light slipway to facilitate its use by larger vessels. The slipway lies within the Solent and Southampton Water SPA and Ramsar and therefore any proposals for its replacement will be subject to Appropriate Assessment under the Habitats Regulations.