16/02/2026
🐉MYTH BUSTING🐉
We have had lots of questions and rumours flying around on our social media pages so to address these we have included our responses to the most frequently asked below. If you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected] and we will endeavour to get back to you.
📌 What works are currently taking place on site?
Enabling works are currently underway. These are early-stage works that help prepare the site for future development and are expected to be completed early 2026.
📌 Does this mean construction has started?
The current works form part of the preparation of the site. The main construction phase will follow at a later stage this year, once all preparatory steps are complete.
📌 When will full construction begin?
The project is still progressing through preparatory stages, including design, planning and tendering. A start date for the main construction phase will be confirmed soon.
📌 What can residents expect in terms of disruption?
When construction begins, works will be professionally managed and phased by the main contractor Morgan Sindall. Measures such as controlled working hours, site management procedures and clear communication will be put in place to minimise disruption where possible.
Morgan Sindall is a signatory to the ‘Considerate Constructors Scheme’, which sets clear standards around safety, cleanliness, noise control and respect for local communities. Further details on construction arrangements will be shared closer to the start of the main works.
📌 Will there be changes to traffic, access or parking during construction?
The existing Clarence Wharf car park was closed fully from the start of January 2026 so further site investigations and preparation works can take place. Any changes to Barnstaple Street access if required will be planned carefully and communicated to local residents in advance of the work taking place.
📌 How will residents be kept informed?
We will continue to issue updates at key milestones through our monthly newsletter. If you would like to sign up for this then please fill out the enquiry form on our website and ask to sign up. Local communications will remain separate from market and sales updates.
📌 Who can residents contact with questions or concerns?
If you have questions then please email - [email protected]
📌 How is flooding being addressed as part of the development?
The existing quay wall was repaired in 2023 in collaboration with the local council. This repair was not intended to act as the final flood defence for the site and, as designed, can be overtopped during high tidal surges, something that has occurred previously when the existing car park has flooded.
As part of the development, additional flood protection measures are being incorporated into the scheme. These are designed to protect the site up to 6.4 metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), providing resilience against even the most severe tidal surges as well as surface water flooding.
📌 What will happen to public parking at Clarence Wharf?
The Clarence Wharf car park has historically been a temporary car park put in place by the council. As part of the development, all planning requirements set out by the council have been met, including the provision of 31 public parking spaces within the finished scheme.
The wider provision of public parking in the town is managed by the local authority. Any queries regarding additional public parking beyond the site should therefore be directed to the council, who operate the public car parks in the area.
📌 What consideration has been given to the site’s heritage?
When the site was acquired by Red Earth in 2017, the existing buildings were not listed and had been derelict for many years. During site clearance, great efforts were made to retain elements of historical interest, including the I Baker and Sons plaque and the Queen’s Wharf granite posts, which are planned to be reinstated on the new Brunswick Wharf building and the entrance to Queen’s Wharf.
Some features, such as the eagle and lion statues from the former warehouse, were recovered but were found to be modern replacements rather than original historic pieces and were not suitable for restoration. The project team remains keen to retain and reflect the site’s nautical heritage wherever possible.
📌 How tall are the proposed buildings?
The three main buildings within the scheme (Clarence Wharf, Restarick Wharf and Queen’s Wharf) will each be a maximum of five storeys in height. This is below the height of the former warehouse, known as the WCA Mill building that previously stood on the site towards the Wooda Surgery end when the area was an active dockyard.
