Royal William Yard, Plymouth, Devon

A case study for Historic England's Enhanced Advisory Services

The Royal William Yard is a 16-acre complex of Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings. It was built as the major victualing depot of the Royal Navy, supplying ships based at the adjacent Devonport Dockyard. It is the country's grandest collection of naval buildings and one of England's most magnificent industrial monuments.

For more than 3 decades, Urban Splash has sought to bring historic structures, unused and unloved buildings back into use, creating new places in which people can live, work and play.

Royal William Yard is an example of effective regeneration: a place in which we have transformed a collection of beautiful yet rundown Grade I and II Listed buildings, creating homes, workspaces, shops, restaurants and galleries.

Approaching such structures comes with inevitable challenges, and that’s why we are big fans of collaboration, working with organisations like Historic England.

The organisation has supported our work at the Yard, advocating our designs as we sought to retain the site’s Naval character and original features while sensitively introducing new designs that help appeal to a new generation of residents and visitors.

Historic England also provided financial support to help unlock Melville – the Grade I Listed building at the heart of the Yard – an important structure which has undergone costly, sensitive heritage works. We thank Historic England for their support in bringing it back to life.

Adam Willetts, Associate Director Urban Splash

The site's redevelopment has been a collaborative effort involving Urban Splash, Historic England, Plymouth City Council, and other various stakeholders. When the Navy withdrew from the Yard in 1992, it was first taken over by the Plymouth Development Corporation and then passed to the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) for an extensive regeneration programme in partnership with Urban Splash. Historic England played a vital role in providing technical advice, listing assessments, and grant aid to support the restoration process.

Following the 2008 financial crash and SWRDA's dissolution in 2012, a phased restoration approach was adopted. Historic England's continued involvement ensured the preservation of the site's historical significance while supporting its reuse.

The redevelopment includes 240 homes and 115,000 square feet of commercial space, including offices, restaurants and a cinema.

The Total Development Value of the Royal William Yard is £136 million. 1500 jobs have been created, and recent data suggests the sites attract around 1.1 million visits a year.

Gallery

Please click on the gallery images to enlarge.

A wide-angle exterior photograph of the corner of a historic dockside building under a blue sky. People are sat at chairs and tables, standing talking, and walking past in the foreground. A photograph of an interior living space with a wooden floor, exposed beams and a seating area. Open doors at the back of the room show a view of a harbour. A photograph of a living space with exposed beams, exposed brick wall, a black sofa and a colourful rug on cream carpet. An interior photograph of a first-floor office space underneath a roof with exposed wooden beams and skylight windows. A photograph of a family sat at a wooden table in a light, airy café space with exposed wooden beams in the ceiling and flanked by glass panels to the side A photograph of people sat at tables in a restaurant's outdoor seating area.

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