Regional Ship Repair Firm Purchases Historic Former Royal Clarence Yard from MoD

South Shields headquartered UK Docks has acquired the former site of the Royal Clarence Yard from the Ministry of Defence, with advice from Mincoffs Solicitors’ Commercial Property team.

The site, at Royal Clarence Yard, Gosport was purchased by UK Docks as part of their current expansion plans.

The Tyneside firm, founded in 1995 by Managing Director Harry Wilson and now run by him and his sons, already operates at Gosport and around the country in Cornwall, Teesside and Tyneside, and the new Gosport site will further boost its service offering throughout the UK. A redevelopment plan for the site is being worked up and, with substantial investment, the site will ultimately be developed into a Marine Service Centre servicing the local marine industry.

Royal Clarence Yard has a long and significant maritime history; as well as historically storing the entire Royal Navy’s rum supplies it is also home to the remains of Queen Victoria’s railway station from which she would board her yacht to cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight.

Jonathan Wilson, Director of UK Docks said of the acquisition: “We are very proud to have acquired such a historic waterfront site in Gosport which will further expand our operations and services provided on the South Coast and we are looking forward to developing this site into what will be a unique specialist marine hub.”

Mincoffs Solicitors’ Commercial Property team advised the Wilsons and UK Docks on the acquisition of the site from the MoD.

Mincoffs partner Malcolm Wood commented: “It has been a pleasure to advise a dynamic, family run firm such as UK Docks on the acquisition of Royal Clarence Yard, and it was fascinating to learn about the history of the site. It comes at an exciting time for UK Docks following the recent MoD contract win and it is great to see a regional firm establishing itself as a significant player in the maritime services industry.”