West Quay Marina, a joint venture between Manchester based Nikal Developments Ltd and MMC Estates, has been granted outline planning consent for the 2.5 acre site in Poole following 18 months of consultations with town planners.

The scheme, which forms part of Sunseekers former boat yard on West Quay Road in central Poole, comprises 71 traditional apartments and 25 Manhattan Suites – serviced apartments designed in association with development partner, Sunseeker International.

Plans also include a 180-bed hotel with spa and conference facilities which will provide much needed quality accommodation for visitors to Poole. In addition, the scheme will feature 20,000 sq ft Grade A office space, a variety of family restaurants as well as a new quayside with 20 boat moorings for occupiers and visitors.

Jonny Wrigley, development director at Nikal Ltd, said: “Nikal and the rest of the team have worked tirelessly to ensure that West Quay Marina is a deliverable scheme in the current economic climate. We strongly believe that our proposals will bring significant benefits to the town and we are excited to have finally been granted consent.

“We intend to move the project forward with detailed design proposals due to be submitted to planners early next Summer and our aim is to be on site by the end of 2010 once initial works for the Twin Sails Bridge are underway. We are particularly excited about the Manhattan Suites as we are working alongside the Sunseeker design team to create a truly unique waterside living concept which we hope to roll out internationally.

“Poole is a solid and established market and we expect the town to recover quicker than most locations in the UK. It already boasts a myriad of local and international businesses, a booming tourist trade and its great links to London mean Poole is a hugely popular second home location. Further inward investment is expected to strengthen the local economy and increase demand for high quality housing and hotel accommodation which we believe will complement what we are trying to achieve at West Quay Marina.”

ENDS

Press Contact: Clare Lawrence @ MC2 (0161 236 1352)