Green light for iconic £6 million marina development

Plans for a new £6 million mixed-use building at Mercia Marina have been given the go-ahead.

South Derbyshire District Council recently approved proposals to create the new building, called the Promenade, at the site near Willington, which is the UK’s largest inland marina.

The iconic glass, stone and timber structure will house 14 apartments above seven ground floor retail units.

Construction of the Promenade, which the marina expects to begin in around 12 months, follows the completion of two similar developments on the 77-acre site over the past decade – the Boardwalk and Piazza – which have both won national awards for architecture.

John Thornton, the marina’s owner, said: “We are delighted this iconic new building has received planning approval from South Derbyshire District Council.

“We very much hope and believe that the Promenade, which is in keeping with the style of the existing Piazza and Boardwalk buildings, will, when built, become a heritage asset complementing the Canal Conservation Area.”

The Promenade will replace three existing buildings, one of which was originally a timber fishing hut prior to the marina opening 15 years ago and is now a much-loved tearoom that will relocate to the new building.

Mercia Marina has grown from a former fishing lake in a gravel pit to becoming one of the leading leisure and tourism businesses in the East Midlands, attracting around 800,000 visitors annually.

It supports more than 300 jobs directly, and many more indirectly.

Mercia Marina has moorings for more than 600 narrowboats, as well as housing dozens of high-quality holiday lodges.

Once construction begins, the Promenade – designed by Repton-based architects Bi Design – is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

The planning application for the Promenade, lodged more than 12 months ago, succeeded due to what Mr Thornton describes as ‘foresight’ of the local authority, which recognised the scheme’s £11.9 million estimated benefit to the local economy over 10 years and the creation of 43 new jobs.

SMr Thornton, a founding partner of Mercia Marina and a former chief executive of Derbyshire-based chocolate manufacturer Thorntons, said: “It has been a slow and difficult process.

“But it is thanks to the foresight, support and leadership of South Derbyshire District Council, which realises that the region’s economic, employment and cultural welfare depend upon the encouragement of private investment, that the project has been approved.

“When the economy strengthens, inflation recedes and confidence returns, we look forward to bringing the project to fruition.”

Mr Thornton said that the planning application had succeeded despite, not because of, recent UK Government policy.

He said: “We hope that our national leaders will quickly come to realise that it is only through encouragement rather than the recent destruction of private initiative and investment that our country will be able to create the jobs and wealth needed to provide for the future wellbeing of all.

“The great wealth and social progress created in this country during the 19th Century was through private rather than public investment, and the levelling up that everyone wishes to see throughout the nation will only be realised when the conditions necessary to encourage and foster local private initiative and investment are created.”