Full Steam Ahead for Ocean Marina Developments in Southampton

For entrepreneurs based at UBC’s Enterprise House in Ocean Village Marina, Southampton, it won’t have escaped their notice that a significant amount of development is happening around the waterfront.

Much of this work is focused on the new £25m luxury Harbour Hotel & Spa - an impressive yacht-shaped development that’s set to offer 91 rooms, a gym with a spa and pool, a Jetty restaurant, rooftop Champagne Bar, and even its own ‘deck’ terrace.

Quite literally pushing the boat out, the hotel also boasts its own private jetty and moorings for seafaring guests.

Set to open in October 2017, the impressive hotel is one of many local developments that are adding more flair to the Southampton waterfront.

Amongst them, Alexandra Wharf is a newly completed residential development offering 82 luxury apartments adjacent to the Harbour Hotel & Spa. In 2014, the 299-apartment Admiral Quay development was opened; it was stalled during the recession and changed hands in 2011 before work was finally completed three years later.

Waterside living

Other developments are reportedly “in the pipeline” according to a report in Property Week (July 2017) which “reflects a growing appetite for high-quality living space in the city centre.”

JLL’s David Ramsay says “the mood is buoyant in Southampton” for waterside living, with many apartments offering spectacular views over the marina and the River Itchen.

It’s a natural draw for business owners or staff with offices in Southampton, but Ramsay notes that Ocean Village is a prominent location for commuters too, thanks to its excellent transport links and direct trains to Central London.

Of course, there’s plenty more going on in Southampton besides residential developments.

The newly opened Watermark WestQuay leisure complex provides shopping, a cinema, restaurants, cafes and a bowling alley, along with a large public square and event space.

According to The Architects’ Journal, the complex is the first phase of a much wider masterplan “that intends to better connect the town centre to the waterfront” and draw more people to the marina.

Furthermore, plans for a new multimillion-pound tram and light railway system appear to be inching forwards.

Designed to link Romsey with Southampton and to cut city congestion in the process, the tram network is expected to run from Eastleigh and connect Southampton Airport, a new station at Southampton St Mary’s, an interchange at Royal Pier, Westquay, and Southampton Central railway station.

Already known as the ‘cruise capital of Europe’, Southampton’s status as a busy ferry port ensures plenty of footfall in and around the city. It’s also a magnet for technology and science sectors, with a rapidly growing cluster of hubs in the Solent area.

All things considered, the seafaring city’s developments pipeline is full to the brim with many exciting prospects on the horizon. These improvements not only pose attractive new lifestyle choices, but they also promise a raft of exciting new growth opportunities for businesses in Southampton and the surrounding area.

Find out more about UBC’s flexible serviced offices in Ocean Village on the Southampton waterfront.