A £4m masterplan has been unveiled to safeguard Underfall Yard, a unique area of Bristol’s historic harbour and one of its last remaining working boatyards.
The objective is to transform the yard into a Maritime Centre of Excellence, creating jobs that will use maritime traditional skills, preserving its historic buildings and developing workspaces to help create business opportunities.
The yard, a Scheduled Ancient Monument close to the Cumberland Basin, and its historic slipway are owned and managed by the Underfall Yard Trust which rescued from dereliction in the 1990s with support from Bristol City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the South West Regional Development Authority and volunteers.
However, it was deeply affected by the completion of the council’s £12m docks improvement scheme in July 2010. The investment ended the reliance on the machinery and workshops on the site and many of the historic buildings became redundant.
Despite this it has acquired a significant national reputation for its restoration work and traditional marine activity.
With the active support and encouragement of the city council, the trust has developed a strategy to best use the site, raising £3.5m towards this strategy and launching a campaign to attract the final £500,000.
Trust chairman Ian Wilkinson, pictured, said: “Our masterplan aims to conserve this remarkable site, which comprises a complete set of Victorian buildings and historic machinery that is still operational. It will sustain the gritty, vibrant environment of the site, whilst creating a unique visitor attraction.
“We are preserving for the public the Underfall Yard’s historic assets and unique character, through sustainable, commercial, leisure, tourism and educational developments that reflect the longstanding maritime history of the area.”
The £4m masterplan includes:
- Bringing an additional 46 maritime jobs back to Bristol Harbour.
- Creating a new visitor centre in the historic Engine House to encourage people to learn about the history and operation of Bristol Docks.
- Completing the missing section of the harbour walkway.
- Improving and adding moorings to quay areas.
- Developing new workshops and studio offices for maritime related businesses.
- Preparing a strategy for developing maritime skills.
- Ensuring the Yard’s operation will be self-supporting and produce a surplus for new projects and to maintain the buildings and equipment.
Mr Wilkinson, a real estate and property lawyer and partner at Bristol law firm Osborne Clarke, added: “The Underfall Yard has been a vital part of Bristol life since 1805. Our project combines contemporary and traditional maritime activity and production alongside heritage enthusiasm and learning.
“Our first priority is to preserve and restore the historic buildings and machinery. As a Scheduled Ancient Monument our approach to developing the yard needs to be well informed regarding the history of the area, its infrastructure and conservation needs.
“We aim to give access to and promote understanding of the yard. This site is of vital importance to the development and very existence of Bristol Harbour as an historic port. We want to share its significance with the people of Bristol and the many tourists who visit our city.
“We are determined to retain the character of Underfall Yard, which has a unique working atmosphere that we consider essential to retain and extend.”
A further priority will be to develop the yard as a focal point for boatbuilding and maintenance. Achieving this has already been one of the Trust’s principal achievements.
“Finally, the Underfall Yard must be sustainable as it is wholly dependent on self-generated income to maintain its day-to-day operations,” added Mr Wilkinson.
“Our project will see the Underfall Yard encouraging visitors and positively engaging with them; developing programmes which complement those offered by the ss Great Britain and M Shed.
“Our vision is to preserve this site for the next 100 years.”
Restoration work is scheduled to begin next September and will be completed at the end of 2015. The completed project will be formally launched to the public in the summer of 2016.
