Village Harbour Could Get New 19.7 Metre Houseboat With 27 Solar Panels

Friday, 21 February 2025 14:52

By Rufus Pickles LDR

An Isle of Wight village’s harbour could get a new 19.7m houseboat with 27 rooftop solar panels.

Peter Mikkelsen applied to County Hall to assemble Avocet III in Bembridge Harbour next to Embankment Road along with the prior installation of a supporting steel frame and four new associated mooring poles.

The new residential vessel would replace a houseboat which sank at the site in August 2022.

An inspection carried out after the sinking of the Petrenda ‘revealed notable rotting’, according to a statement prepared by Logic Planning on behalf of Mr Mikkelsen.

The removal of the Petrenda was completed in October 2023 following the granting of a Marine Management Organisation license.

Logic Planning said:

“The replacement houseboat would be 19.7m in length (excluding the low-level deck to the side and rear) with a width of 5.1m and an average height of 5m.

“As is the case with most of the other adjacent houseboats, it would ‘float’ on the sea, secured in place by brackets and mooring poles.

“The design rationale of the replacement houseboat seeks an innovative approach; the use of compressed polystyrene for the hull design, covered with a hard-shell of polyurethane cement, will ensure that the houseboat does not succumb to the frequent corrosion and leakage problems that many of the steel-hulled boats face.

“The proposed roof design would accommodate 27 optimally positioned solar panels, capable of generating 5.4 megawatts and thus providing a sustainable energy supply.

“(Avocet III’s) high-quality, modern design will result in a harmonious addition to the harbour, enhancing its character.”

A council public consultation on the application will finish on March 14 and a decision has been scheduled for April 7.

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