The first steps to bring Gosport’s Gunboat Yard back into use have been submitted to the council.

Gosport Borough Council has received a planning application to widen the opening to the Gunboat Yard from Haslar Road by demolishing some of its walls to make a new entrance from Haslar Road. 

According to planning documents, applicant Sam Upton of the Gunboat Yard Ltd wants to return it to an active and fully serviced boat yard with a focus on marine sector employment. It is opposite the Royal Haslar Hospital and near Fort Blockhouse.

The Gunboat Yard was used for repairing and housing British Royal Naval gunboats between 1856 and 1906 and is currently vacant. 

The site is one-kilometre walking distance, via Haslar Bridge, from Gosport town centre shopping area and Gosport Ferry/Bus station interchange. 

The application form said work includes widening the existing opening of the 9,886 square metre Gunboat Yard and creating new access through part of the sheds. Three panels of the Gunboat Yard boundary wall will be removed, including the modern gate posts either side. 

There will be changes to the shed floors, increasing ground levels to part of the yard, and altering the position of the roof stays – 45 car parking spaces will also be created.

There were plans for part of the site known as the Gunboat Sheds within the Haslar Gunboat Yard to be developed into housing and buildings to create marine-related jobs, said the modified sustainability appraisal.

The access and design statement from Pritchard Architecture said: “Following the successful regeneration of Endeavour Quay and Victoria Quay, the Gunboat Yard site should be viewed as a major untapped asset that deserves to be exploited.” 

It said there is an opportunity for Gosport to expand its commercial marine sector offering through a site with direct access to the water. It will provide opportunities for businesses located next to the QinetiQ site and Daedalus Solent Enterprise Zone.

The site is within the Haslar Peninsular Peninsula conservation area and features grade I-listed gunboat sheds and workshops. The rest of the buildings are grade II-listed buildings, including a gunboat traverser system, a gunboat engine house complex and a gunboat boundary wall with watch towers.

The Gun Boat Yard was part of Haslar Marine Technology Park site and allocated for employment uses in Gosport Borough Local Plan 2011-2029. 

Council planning chiefs will decide on application reference 25/00014/FULL by March 31.