Wednesday, June 10, 2015, saw the Ocean Village Marina in Gibraltar gain the outline planning permission for the new superyacht berths and short-stay as well as rental apartments in Marina Bay, following a third round of debating by Gibraltar’s Development & Planning Commission (DPC).
Ocean Village Superyacht Project www superyachtsandshortstayapts com
Director of Ocean Village, Neil Crawford, comments, “Of course we’re delighted at the news. It’s been a long road for us since December 2014, when the plans were submitted, and the project has generated a lot of interest in the form of overwhelming support, which outnumbered the occasional strong objection. This morning’s DPC meeting was well-attended and dedicated solely to our planning application – we came away with the right result, not only for us as developers but also for Gibraltar as a superyacht destination. This is a vote of confidence in the future of Gibraltar’s economy and complements the Government of Gibraltar’s measures to attract superyachts to the Rock.”
This approval brings Gibraltar a step closer to losing its reputation as ‘just’ a stop-off for cut-price fuel, and instead as a genuine prospect for long-term berthing in a tax-efficient VAT-free environment, boasting all the infrastructure required by the demanding superyacht industry. Local jobs will be created and Gibraltar will be able to legitimately compete with other superyacht marinas – but with the natural competitive advantage of a strategic geographic location where Mediterranean meets Atlantic.
Ocean Village Superyacht Project www superyachtsandshortstayapts com
Neil continues, “Our Marina sees superyachts on a regular basis, but usually just for short periods of time or for fuel stops. Only recently a superyacht fuelled in Gibraltar but then continued up the coast to Puerto Banus, a marina with arguably outdated infrastructure, where the owners spent €300,000 in one shop. Main Street retailers and other Gibraltar businesses will relish being on the receiving end of this kind of investment from the superyacht industry.”
The Marina Bay masterplan outlines ten stern-to superyacht berths with secure access, a modern Pier Office to comprise executive crew lounges with sophisticated data networks, pump-out facilities, significantly improved electricity supplies, Spa-style facilities, as well as storage, workshop and laundry services. The promenade will be enhanced with landscaping and a ‘mirador’ open to the public, while CCTV will be in place to ensure peace of mind for the high-value superyachts’ owners, guests, as well as crew.
A total number of 102 waterside apartments are also part of the scheme and address a local need for short-stay as well as rental accommodation.
The developers are currently busy with additional research. They are tasked to provide various traffic, environmental, as well as aeronautical reports – standard procedure at this stage of the planning process.
