Gallery
The site, May 2007 before demolition of the final smaller shed and crane.
Construction in 2011.
Centenary Quay from across the river Itchen.
Centenary Quay is a mixed-use residential, business and leisure development on the mouth of the River Itchen in Woolston, Southampton on the south coast of England. Originally the site of Vosper Thorneycroft shipbuilders, the site has been the focus of regeneration since 2008. [1] The site is 31 acres, with a central plaza called Woolston Riverside.
By 2003, the Vosper Thorneycroft no longer had enough space at the site, and it was decided to move production to a new yard at Portchester, Hampshire. [2]
The city council then pushed for redevelopment of the site, much like what had occurred across the river at Ocean Village.
The initial plans were submitted in May 2008 for a mixed residential and commercial development of the quay. There were also plans for a yacht building firm to move in and create 700 new jobs along with a 46,500 sq ft (4,320 m2) supermarket. The plans included houses of different types, Crest Nicholson were offering 2-, 3- or 4-bedroom houses as well as building three large skyscrapers which containing hundreds of flats, a hotel and restaurants. The plans were agreed in August of that year. [3]
By late 2008, work began to clear the site of harmful materials and any other pollutants such as hydrocarbons, asbestos and harmful metals left over from the demolition of the dated Vosper Thornycroft warehouses and workshops. BAM Nuttall were contracted to complete this part of the work, and it soon became apparent that it would turn into a more complex operation than previously thought. Therefore, this delayed progress. [4]
In July 2010, a foundation laying ceremony was held to commence the beginning of building work. Local councillors attended and the foundation stone was laid by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles. [5] [6]
In 2011, the first set of homes were completed and sold. [7]
In 2013, Morrisons announced its intention to use one of the retail units for a 60,000 square feet shop. However, this fell through in 2016 upon the city council allowing for an old co-op site to be converted into a Lidl, directly opposite the planned Morrisons. [8]
In 2016, the new public library opened. This replaced the former Woolston Library. [9]
In 2019, construction on the main tower started. The tower is 85m tall (278ft), which equates to 27 storeys. Upon topping out in 2022, it became Southampton's tallest building. [10]
Currently, there is a range of amenities. This includes a bar, beauty salon, gym, library and dentist.
The River Itchen in Hampshire, England, rises to the south of New Alresford and flows 26 miles (42 km) to meet Southampton Water below the Itchen Bridge. The Itchen Navigation was constructed in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to enable barges to reach Winchester from Southampton Docks, but ceased to operate in the mid-19th century and is largely abandoned today.
John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft, was a British shipbuilding firm founded by John Isaac Thornycroft in Chiswick in 1866. It moved to Woolston, Southampton, in 1908, merging in 1966 with Vosper & Company to form one organisation called Vosper Thornycroft. From 2002 to 2010 the company acquired several international and US-based defence and services companies, and changed name to the VT Group. In 2008 VT's UK shipbuilding and support operations were merged with those of BAE Systems to create BVT Surface Fleet. In 2010 remaining parts of the company were absorbed by Babcock International who retained the UK and international operations, but sold the US based operations to the American Jordan Company, who took the name VT Group.
Itchen Sixth Form College is a mixed sixth form college in Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1906 and was originally a mixed secondary school, it later became Itchen Grammar School under the reforms of the Butler Education Act. It became its present state following further reform in the 1980s.
VTG is a privately held United States defense and services company, with its origins in a former British shipbuilding group, previously known as Vosper Thornycroft. The British part of VTG was integrated into Babcock International in the early 2010s. In July 2012, The Resolute Fund II, LP, an affiliate of The Jordan Company acquired VTG. In September 2023, VTG received a new majority investment from A&M Capital Partners.
Ocean Village is a mixed-use marina, residential, business and leisure development on the mouth of the River Itchen in Southampton, on the south coast of England. Originally the site of Southampton's first working docks, the "Outer Dock" which opened in 1842, the area was redeveloped in 1986 and became the leisure marina it is today. After experiencing a period of stalled development with the late-2000s recession, Ocean Village underwent another series of major, multimillion-pound redevelopment projects. Current recreational facilities include a cinema, cafes, wine bars and restaurants.
Sholing Football Club is an English football club based in Sholing, Southampton, Hampshire. Formerly known as Vosper Thorneycroft FC and later VTFC the club changed its name in 2010 to Sholing FC. In 2013–14 they won both the FA Vase and the Wessex League Premier Division and have three times been runners up in the Wessex Premier, in 2007, 2009 and 2016. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division South. The club has twice won the Hampshire League, in 2001 and 2004. Sholing are also 8 times Southampton Senior Cup Winners.
Sholing, previously Scholing, is a suburb on the eastern side of the city of Southampton, in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England. It is located between the districts of Bitterne, Thornhill and Woolston.
Woolston is a suburb of Southampton, Hampshire, located on the eastern bank of the River Itchen. It is bounded by the River Itchen, Sholing, Peartree Green, Itchen and Weston.
Vosper & Company, often referred to simply as Vospers, was a British shipbuilding company based in Portsmouth, England.
Southampton is a port city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately 80 miles (130 km) southwest of London, 20 miles (32 km) west of Portsmouth, and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253,651 at the 2011 census, making it one of the most populous cities in southern England.
Southampton is a city in Hampshire, England. The area has been settled since the Stone Age. Its history has been affected by its geographical location, on a major estuary on the English Channel coast with an unusual double high tide, and by its proximity to Winchester and London; the ancient and modern capitals of England. Having been an important regional centre for centuries, Southampton was awarded city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1964.
The Woolston Floating Bridge was a cable ferry that crossed the River Itchen in England between hards at Woolston and Southampton from 23 November 1836 until 11 June 1977. It was taken out of service after the new Itchen Bridge was opened.
Solent Sky is an aviation museum in Southampton, England.
History of Woolston, suburb of Southampton, Hampshire.
The Port of Southampton is a major passenger and cargo port located in the central part of the south coast of England. It has been an important port since the Roman occupation of Britain nearly two thousand years ago, and has a multifaceted history. From the Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century, it was a centre for naval shipbuilding and a departure point for soldiers going to war. The port also played a role in the development of hovercraft, flying boat services, seaplanes and the Spitfire fighter plane. Before the advent of jet travel, Southampton was Britain's gateway to the world. The port also played a minor role in the history of Britain's canals.
TSS T/T Calshot was a tug tender built in 1929 by John I Thornycroft & Co, and completed in 1930 for the Red Funnel Line. Calshot was one of only three surviving classical tender ships which served the great ocean liners, another example is the SS Nomadic, which tendered the ill-fated RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage at Cherbourg, France. The third being the Manchester Ship Canal's Daniel Adamson. In her career, Calshot has tendered some of the most famous ocean liners ever built, such as the RMS Caronia, the Cunard Queens RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary, the SS United States, and the White Star Line ship RMS Olympic. During World War II she was requisitioned by the British Admiralty for servicing troop ships and took part in D-Day. She was a registered vessel of the National Historic Fleet of the United Kingdom, holding Certificate No. 1.
The SeaCity Museum is a museum in Southampton, England, which opened on 10 April 2012 to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic's departure from the city. It is housed within a part of the Grade II* listed civic centre building which previously housed the magistrates' court and police station. The museum contains two permanent exhibitions, one dedicated to Southampton's connection with RMS Titanic, and the other to the city's role as gateway to the world. A third space for temporary exhibitions is housed in a purpose-built pavilion extension to the civic centre. Further phases of development may yet add to the exhibition space.
Thornycrofts (Woolston) F.C. was an English amateur football club, based in Woolston, Southampton.
Riverside Park is a public park located in Southampton, England. The 32-hectare (320,000 m2) site is located along the River Itchen and bounded by the districts of Townhill Park to the east and Swaythling to the northwest. The park's northernmost point backs onto the M27 motorway with pedestrian access to Itchen Valley Country Park. The southernmost point of the park backs onto Bitterne Triangle and Cobden Bridge.
50°53′40″N1°22′56″W / 50.89448°N 1.38228°W
