Plymouth’s maritime business park, Turnchapel Wharf, has opened five new marine enterprise units providing workshop and office space for a variety of local companies.
Under the ownership of Yacht Havens Group since 2014, Turnchapel Wharf has been transformed from an ex-Ministry of Defence site into a thriving waterfront business hub. Based on Plymouth’s Cattewater, a number of international firms are based at Turnchapel including major international maritime businesses such as Fugro, Princess Motor Yacht Sales and Thales with their Maritime Autonomy Centre.
The new units provide over 800 sqft of workshop and office space for five local businesses, as well as providing access to a range of marine facilities at Turnchapel Wharf. Each unit measures 220 square foot with a large rolled shutter door, and all five were rented off-plan to local businesses.
Speaking about the new buildings and the continued development of Turnchapel Wharf, Yacht Havens Group Managing Director Dylan Kalis said, “We are continuing to develop the site to ensure it is meeting the requirements of a variety of marine business owners. These new units provide a new base for five more local businesses, and we will continue to look for opportunities to support these companies as they grow.”
One of the new tenants is Elite Marine Engineering who has moved into one of the new units after their first year of trading. Lewis Huddy and Steve Putt, who started the company in 2018 said, “We started off with a just a storage container at Turnchapel Wharf, now a year on we have grown into our first premises. With our new unit we have a lot more space where customers can bring their boats or engines to us where we are able to offer minor repairs to full engine rebuilds from our full equipped workshop.”
With Turnchapel Wharf becoming a hub for marine businesses, Lewis has also witnessed more examples of how neighbouring companies are working closely together. “Next door to there is a boatbuilder, carpenter, GRP specialists and electrical engineers. As a result, we work closely with all these companies to offer customers a complete solution for their boats. The businesses here have become a close-knit community supporting each other and working together for the good of the industry.”
Elec Marine Ltd has also taken occupancy of one of the new units. The marine electronics firm joined Turnchapel Wharf in 2015 with in a smaller office and workshop, but has now moved into a much larger facility. Jon Rickard, company director, said “Turnchapel Wharf is an outstanding location to base our business. The quality of facilities and the unique mix of leading marine businesses has helped us to grow as business over the past 5 years.”
Dylan continues, “Turnchapel Wharf is now home to over 25 thriving marine businesses from SMEs to large international firms developing the latest in maritime technology and marine autonomy. Since we purchased the site in 2014 from the Ministry of Defence, Turnchapel Wharf has undergone a major transformation and we’re extremely proud of the maritime business hub it has now become. We still prosper ambitions to develop more parts of the site and ensure Plymouth remains at the forefront of the changing marine industry.”
