MDL Marinas looks to develop Maritime Walk at Ocean Village

MDL has submitted plans to Southampton City Council to develop 199 new homes at its stunning Ocean Village Marina as part of its revitalisation strategy. If approved, the generously sized rental apartments will be sited close to the water in a ‘tripartite’ structure with three wings. The tallest wing is proposed to be 24 storeys offering fabulous views of the city and coastline. Many of the proposed flats will have Juliette balconies, and there will be communal garden spaces built into the 7th and 13th floors.

The new-look apartments will be a significant opportunity for regeneration and investment.

Should planning be approved, the development, known as Maritime Walk, will look to tender in January. MDL estimates that its build will bring a £36m investment to Southampton and will be realised by around 300 construction and associated roles with local businesses being prioritised to fill them.

MDL has supported the enhancement of Ocean Village for many years and has invested huge resources into successfully delivering other projects in the area such as Admiral’s Quay, the Ocean Village Innovation Centre and the highly successful Southampton Harbour Hotel.

This next chapter of MDL’s ambitious vision to regenerate Ocean Village will help cement the area as a vibrant place where people will want to live, work and socialise.

When finished, there will be some 1,600 residential addresses in Ocean Village.

MDL’s engineering consultants are looking into the possibility of installing a community heating network as part of the building’s energy strategy which also features low or zero carbon design (including photovoltaics and an air source heat pump).

The challenge of ‘building to rent’ means MDL will seek a professional third-party operator to manage the building when complete. The ambitious plan will be a useful addition to the mix of tenures available in the City of Southampton.

Community consultation around the overall project and design has been ongoing since early 2019. MDL has liaised closely with representatives of the Ocean Village Residents Association, Ward Councillors, commercial tenants, leaseholders and Southampton City Council in order to understand the needs, impacts and challenges presented to those in the surrounding areas.

We are confident that our plans for Maritime Walk represent the optimum balance of high-quality public and private space in this desirable city-centre location.

“Because we’ve worked so closely with all parties and taken an extended period of time to engage with the planning process, our team firmly believes that we have realised the best possible solution to convert a quiet car park into a beneficial residential building. We’re excited at the possibilities a stunning rental property can bring to Ocean Village.”

Plans were submitted to Southampton Council in July 2018. Consent is sought by early November. Approval of the proposals would see the 138 car parking spaces on the current brownfield site moved into the largely vacant Ocean Car Park.