Plans revealed for £3.5m Fruit redevelopment as part of creative industries hub

PLANS have been submitted to Hull City Council for a £3.5m redevelopment, including a revamp of Hull’s successful Fruit venue, as part of the latest major investment in Hull’s Fruit Market quarter.

A planning application has been lodged for the repair and redevelopment of 61-63 Humber Street which houses Fruit, including the creation of a new, purpose-built and sound-proofed multi-arts performance venue, accommodated partly within and also extending to the rear of the building.

The plans will ensure a sustainable, long-term future for one of the region’s most popular and innovative venues, by providing fit-for-purpose facilities as part of a completely refurbished and regenerated building which will become a hub for the creative arts.

The £1.2m proposals for 61-63 Humber Street involve the restoration and reconfiguration of all three storeys of the building, with a new gallery and café featuring a glazed frontage onto Humber Street and the unused and dilapidated upper floors repaired and refurbished to create flexible studios and work spaces for artists and craftspeople. The first floor will also feature a roof terrace above the performance venue.

The planning application includes a further £2.3m of development at the rear of 61-63 Humber Street. This will involve the creation of a paved outdoor performance area and gathering place within a courtyard at the rear of Fruit, with the last remaining smoke house in the centre of Hull brought back into use as a pop-up bar/street food venue.

The courtyard would be “wrapped” by construction of a new building fronting onto Wellington Street with six ground-floor glazed units for shops, offices and workshops and 11 modern city living apartments over three further floors from the first floor, bringing additional life and vibrancy to the Fruit Market. New alleys will encourage a flow of people between Humber Street and Wellington Street via the courtyard.

The plans have been submitted by ID Architecture on behalf of the Fruit Market LLP, the joint venture formed by regeneration company Wykeland Group, housebuilder Beal Homes and Hull City Council, to deliver the regeneration of the Fruit Market.

Delivery of the redevelopment of 61-63 Humber Street is being aided by a grant secured from the Government’s Coastal Communities Fund to support the continuing regeneration of the Fruit Market waterside district.

Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Wykeland, speaking on behalf of Wykeland Beal, said: “These proposals represent the latest stage of the exciting rejuvenation of the Fruit Market.

“61-63 Humber Street is a key building in the heart of the Fruit Market and has become established as the home of Fruit, which has played such an important part in Hull’s cultural renaissance.

“This development will put Fruit on a sustainable footing with significantly improved facilities, enabling the staging of a wider range of events, within a completely refurbished and restored building.

“The upper floors will become flexible workspaces for artistic and creative entrepreneurs and small businesses, which will enhance Hull’s growing reputation as a centre for the creative industries and support the growth of employment within the cultural sector.

“The related development of the courtyard and the building facing Wellington Street will add further activity and energy, consistent with our vision for the regeneration of the Fruit Market as a unique, vibrant and creative quarter where people live, work and play.”

The proposals respect the unique heritage and character of the Fruit Market and have been developed in consultation with planning officers and fine-tuned following a pre-application meeting with Hull City Council’s Planning Committee.

In preparation for the proposed development, Wykeland Beal has already carried out work over the summer to prevent further deterioration of 61-63 Humber Street, including replacing all the roofs, installing new power supplies and removing asbestos

Wykeland Beal has also consulted extensively with Hull City Council, the University of Hull and a wide range of cultural and artistic organisations, including Hull UK City of Culture 2017, Arts Council England, Creative and Cultural, Hull School of Art and Design and Freedom Festival, to develop a model for the creative work spaces on the upper floors of 61-63 Humber Street.

Mr Gibbons said the aim was to learn from the success of the nearby Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) tech hub which provides a collaborative environment for hundreds of tech specialists and has been the catalyst for the launch and growth of many entrepreneurial digital businesses.

He added: “We want to create a supportive environment where creatives can collaborate and innovate – in effect, a C4DI for the arts. Working with partners, we’re aiming to create a dynamic, self-sustaining hub for creative and cultural enterprises.

“This has the potential to create a significant number of new businesses and jobs and establish a legacy of cultural and creative capacity, building on the success of Hull’s year as UK City of Culture.”

Andy Balman, a Director of Ark Entertainments, which operates Fruit, The Welly and The Polar Bear venues in Hull as well as the Hull Box Office website, said: “These plans offer a wonderful opportunity for Fruit to grow and have a sustainable, long-term future in Humber Street.

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but we need to move to the next stage. We’ve worked closely with Wykeland Beal over the past couple of years to develop these plans to enable that to happen.

“This development will give us a purpose-built, sound-proofed venue with excellent facilities, including improved stage, lighting and PA system. We’ll also have a fit-for-purpose back-stage area with two dressing rooms so performers can prepare for shows in comfort.

“The capacity will remain the same at around 300, but the improved facilities and versatility we can offer will make Fruit even more attractive to touring bands and other artists.

“It will also mean we can host a wider range of events, during the day as well as in the evening, and can use the courtyard for smaller-scale acoustic performances.”

Fruit has pioneered the cultural revival of the Fruit Market since opening in 2010 and Mr Balman said its unique character would not change.

He added: “Fruit has developed a unique position in Humber Street and has built up a strong reputation for creativity and innovation.

“We don’t want to lose any of what makes Fruit so special. We’ll retain the bohemian, warehouse look, feel and vibe, but with better facilities. We’ll also be a key part of a building that will become a major hub for artistic and creative industries.”

Councillor Daren Hale, Deputy Leader of Hull City Council and Chair of the Fruit Market LLP, said: “The redevelopment of the Fruit Market has been a priority for the council for many years and it’s great to see these plans to further enhance this special place submitted.

“The area has been one of the biggest success stories of 2017 and, if approved, this build would offer a whole new dimension to the cultural hub. Thanks must again go to the Coastal Communities Fund for recognising this fantastic opportunity.”

Martin Green, Director of Hull 2017, said: “I’m delighted to see further investment in what is rapidly becoming a real cultural hub, not only for the city, but for the wider region. The city needs spaces like this where creative people can come together to share ideas and collaborate.

“I’m sure that this newly developed space will enhance the creative offer in the city by providing the many talented people here with a purpose-built place to work.”

If approved, the planning application will unlock the latest significant investment as part of the £80m, long-term transformation of the Fruit Market.

Commercial investments in recent months include high-quality restaurants Ambiente Tapas, Butler Whites and Tapasya @ Marina; artisan chocolatier Cocoa Chocolatier and Patisserie; arts venue Humber Street Gallery; Humber Street Distillery Co gin bar; and vintage fashion brand Poorboy Boutique.

The Fruit Market’s commercial opportunities will be complemented by 101 new mews-style homes around private courtyards, with ground works for the residential development due to begin before the end of 2017.