East Cowes: Updated plans for ferry terminal upgrade unveiled

A design showing the view of terminal from the ferry

Updated plans to transform a ferry terminal have been revealed.

Red Funnel wants to revamp its three sites at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight - Phoenix Yard, Trinity Yard and Redux Yard.

The plans include an 80-bedroom hotel on Phoenix Yard, east of Castle Street, with marshalling lanes moved to Redux Yard off Dover Road and Castle Street.

A new terminal building would go up on Trinity Yard, west of Castle Street and south of Dover Road.

CGI showing the scheme at East Cowes

The plans for the site of the new terminal include a new short stay car park and taxi rank a drop-off area, disabled spaces, and storage for bicycles.

The ferry firm said the yard could also see a mixed-use development of residential apartments and businesses built.

Red Funnel said the new marshalling yard would be able to hold more than 350 vehicles - about two full ferries of cars.

Accessed via Castle Street the ferry firm said it would have automated check-in booths "greatly improving and speeding up the flow of vehicles into the yard."

The ferry firm wants to upgrade and redesign its three existing sites at East Cowes

Red Funnel said it hoped to get the plans submitted before the end of the year, approved by 2024 with the revamp completed in 2025.

Plans for a new terminal building and marshalling yard were given the go-ahead in 2017.

The pandemic put the plans on hold in 2021.

The ferry firm said the latest design had been improved since a first round of consultation with the community in early summer.

People can have their say until 22 October and a public exhibition is being held on 7 October.

Red Funnel has been operating a vehicle ferry service from the East Cowes site since 1861.