A Plymouth property firm wants to turn the former Mount Wise naval base into an, 'urban village' similar to Prince Charles's experimental Poundbury development in Dorset. Michael Hockin's Cattedown-based commercial property firm London and West Country Estates is planning a multi-million pound bid for the 30-acre former Royal Navy Maritime Headquarters site, vacated last August.
A bidding war is hotting up for the prime 30-acre former Maritime Headquarters site, which contains the 18th century Admiralty House, offices, underground bunkers, tennis courts and a cricket pitch.
London and West Country Estates wants to spend "many millions of pounds" to create an urban village similar to Poundbury.
Meanwhile, rival developer Charles Howeson has stressed that his Crownhill Estates firm "remains fully committed to regenerate" the land into a mixed-use residential and commercial centre.
He is promising a "regenerative exercise" rather than a property development and said: "My bid is entirely complementary to the regenerative plan for the wider Devonport area."
The Herald understands another consortium is ready to make a bid too, and the feeling among property firms is there will be more interested parties once the land - which is reckoned to be worth up to ?10 million - is advertised for sale at the end of this month.
Defence Estates, which disposes of land for the Ministry of Defence, is selling the waterfront land after the Royal Navy moved out last August.
The site - which contains the 18th-century Admiralty House, offices, underground bunkers, tennis courts and a cricket pitch - was held off the open market for public sector bids.
But last month the Herald revealed that an extended deadline had passed with no public sector bids being made.
Plymouth City Council had planned to buy the site using some of the Devonport Regeneration Company's ?49 million Government funding. It hoped to open a new-style school, for 14-to-18-year-olds, on the site. But the Government Office South West turned it down, saying it would not deliver within the DRC's strict 10-year life span.
Public sector bodies can still bid, but must now compete with private sector offers. The Government's regeneration minister Lord Jeff Rooker, on a visit to Devonport on Wednesday, said he was 'aware of all issues relating to Mount Wise' including 'dates and deadlines' and had discussed it with defence ministers. He would not discuss details of his discussions or what he thought of the failed bid attempt.
But he said he had seen the site and signs saying it was available and added: "It's up to local people: the local authority and others. It's not for me to tell them what to bid for."
It has also emerged that Devonport Regeneration Company board members pressed the minister to give them yet another extension, about three months, for them to work on a bid.
DRC vice-chairman Sam Swabey said he "did not hold out much hope" of the appeal being successful.
He said the minister told him the MoD was keen to progress with its timescale for inviting tenders.
Mr Swabey said the company was now looking at other ways 'of having an influence on the site'. It is understood the city council and DRC are keen to work with any developer if a successful bid is made.
Defence Estates, which disposes of land for the Ministry of Defence, said the land will now be sold by formal tender to the "highest acceptable bid".
Mr Hockin plans to visit the site next week and is working on "wow factor' plans for a themed development including 'waterfront executive' and 'affordable' housing, luxury flats in the Admiralty House, shops, offices, 'work places' and possibly a primary school.
"In effect a community," he said. "I'm from Plymouth and see Mount Wise as a successful village where someone would want to live and buy - like Poundbury."
He wants a Plymouth-based firm to develop the land and is keen to retain the site's cricket and tennis facilities and the surrounding wall. He wants sports facilities to be used by the community and has strong links with the Lord's Taverners charity, which provides sport for children, particularly special needs.
He said: "I would like the cricket pitch as a focal point.
Mr Hockin visited the 400-acre Poundbury estate in Dorchester last year and was impressed with the village, conceived by Prince Charles to inspire planners after he derided contemporary architecture. He said: "I was very impressed. I like houses built to a style. The difference is Poundbury has a lot of space. At Mount Wise we are talking about an enclosed space."
London and Westcountry Estates has a property portfolio that includes 11 business parks, an industrial estate in Falmouth and the Quadra factory in Langage. Meanwhile, Crownhill Estates, which redeveloped the former Royal Naval Hospital in Stonehouse, is soon to reveal fine details of its plan. Company boss Charles Howeson said his 'conceptual plan is in a mature stage but is unusual'. He stressed his plan was "regenerative".