A Ryde landmark has been granted a new lease of life.
Planning permission was granted last week by the Isle of Wight Council for restoration of the Grade II listed Appley Tower on Ryde seafront.
The tower — halfway along the beach between Appley and Puckpool — will become an art gallery with education and retail use.
The tower was last used as a crystal and fossil shop in 2017 but was open to the public as a one-off in 2018 as part of Appley Day.
Renovations to the tower include external and internal alterations — illumination, interpretation boards and roof terrace with balustrade.
Work also involves major repairs to the stonework, replacement windows and doors and internal decoration.
Ryde mayor and local ward councillor Michael Lilley said the proposals were fully supported by the community and himself as a feasible and sustainable way forward to preserve the important and iconic historical building.
In their decision, Isle of Wight Council officers said the balustrade is likely to have the most significant impact on the external appearance of the building but it is required to protect users and is justified to access the roof and gain impressive views across the beach.
Officers also say the tower will add to the vitality and vibrancy of the area.
To help fund future repairs and tower maintenance, four new beach huts, in the same style and colour, will be added to the existing rows further down the beach.
Conditions of the planning permission mean the new huts cannot be used as overnight accommodation or as a sole or main place of residence.
Island charity, Natural Enterprise, which is behind the plans, estimated in 2019 the cost of renovating the tower would be over £220,000 but plans were halted for the last few years due to the Covid pandemic.
Last November, concerns were shared by the charity that repair costs would hinder the scheme if they spiralled any further.
It was thought it would cost around £330,000 to get the tower in a good enough state to open it to the public.
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