First look at what could be built on site of former Register Office in Lockyer Street
It's your midweek Beagle: Wednesday May 21 2025
A glimpse into what could be built on the site of the former Register Office in Lockyer Street has been revealed in a "pre-planning" submission to Plymouth Council.
And it does away with any idea of a new hotel on the site - instead proposing up to 50 residential units across six or seven storeys, with two ground floor commercial units, and a basement car park.
The document has been presented by "Hoe Park Heights Ltd", a company incorporated at Companies House in November 2024. It states its business as "buying and selling of own real estate, and letting and operating of own or leased real estate." Hoe Park Heights is registered to an address in St Pauls Square, Birmingham, and its sole director is Ms Baljinder (Billie) Kaur.
The agent for the application is Paul Mapstone, who works from an address in The Millfields in Plymouth.
The lavish 40-page pre-application design statement says: "The proposed development... balances public interaction, resident amenity, and integration with the surrounding context. At the centre of the scheme, a residents' amenity deck provides a high-quality, semi-private communal space featuring areas for yoga, barbecues, and leisure activities such as boules. The deck is enhanced with water
features, raised planters, and seating, offering a tranquil environment with visual
and functional appeal.
A new east-west green corridor to the north of the site provides a publicly accessible landscaped route that mirrors the historic connection between Armada
Way and Lockyer Street. This linear space is lined with bench seating, tree planting, and raised planters, creating an inviting and biodiverse pedestrian experience while improving permeability across the site."
(Images: BRL design)
The design proposals in the report are intended for early engagement with the planning authority, and can be viewed on the Plymouth Council planning site using reference 25/00713/MJR
Meanwhile it’s up, up and away: Plans submitted for giant observation wheel on The Hoe
Plans have been put forward to Plymouth Council for a 36-metre observation wheel on The Hoe.
It follows an "invitation to tender" published by the council last Autumn.
Back in August the council said it was prepared to offer a 4-year licence to a wheel operator and invited applicants who were prepared to pay a minimum £36,000 per year.
Now a formal application is up for consideration from JCB Events Ltd, which wants to put the wheel alongside the Naval memorial.
It is proposed that the Lunapark Observation Wheel is permitted on the proposed site between 1st March and 30th September, running no later than 9pm each day.
Beagle readers will recall an observation wheel has been successfully placed in the same location in the past
Comments on the application should be submitted to Plymouth Council by June 17. Reference: 25/00220/FUL
Police appeal after disturbance on The Hoe sees four arrested
Police have asked for witnesses and dashcam footage after yobs fought in the sunshine on Plymouth's waterfront.
Emergency services piled into Madeira Road last Friday evening after people called 999 reporting a man using a broken bottle as a weapon.
Several people were involved in a brawl, and four men were arrested and are now on police bail.
A police appeal using the Devon and Cornwall Alert system said: "We are appealing for information following reports of disorder. Officers were called at 7.35pm on Friday (16 May) to the area of Madeira Road on Plymouth Hoe, where it was reported that a man had been acting aggressively while in possession of a broken glass bottle.
"It was further reported that fight had then occurred involving a number of people.
"Four men, aged 27, 32, 33 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of offences in connection with the incident. They have all been released on police bail until June."
Investigating officers are appealing for anyone who was in the area on Friday night and may have captured footage of the incident, have relevant dash-cam, doorbell or CCTV footage, to report it.
Information can be reported by calling 101 or via our website quoting reference 50250123492.
Questions The Beagle is barking this week:
🏊 Will the newly refurbished Lido open on time?
❔ Why is the Nancy Astor statue on The Hoe fenced off?
🇵🇸 And why is the (presumably very expensive) barrister and chief executive of Lawyers for Israel writing to Plymouth City Council over a resident choosing to fly a Palestinian flag outside his house?
If you can help, throw the dog a bone by emailing: editor@thebeagle.news
Are we a step nearer resolution to the scaffolding farce at Millbay?
William Telford at the Plymouth Herald reported this week that talks are underway over the future of the £10m abandoned waterfront block of flats called Mayflower Court. He wrote that the owner, the charitable Abbeyfield Society, was in discussions with “stakeholders” about completing the retirement development.
No work has been carried out on the 83-bedroom scheme since mid 2020.