South Quay sits within the Devon and Cornwall Tin and Copper Mining World Heritage Site. In its heyday, Hayle was the only port serving the mining industry and thrived on the export of copper, tin and heavy industrial machinery to locations across the world. Since the decline of the Cornish mining industries, South Quay has lain derelict, despite a number of attempts to secure its future since the 1970s.

FCBStudios was appointed as Architect for the regeneration of South Quay in 2011, part-way through the determination of a planning application for a previous scheme: Cornwall County Council identified South Quay as being the optimum site for a new food store but made it clear that a fresh approach to design and heritage would be required to secure consent. We undertook an intensive programme of stakeholder engagement, orchestrating a series of day long workshops with officers, members of Cornwall County Council and Hayle Town Council, English Heritage and other interested parties and local groups. UNESCO and ICOMOS were also consulted.

The listed quay has been repaired and restored and, for the first time in its history, opened to the public, providing a significant new amenity for residents and visitors. The Harbour which was owned by ING Red is transferring into public ownership in the form of a new Community Trust. The scheme introduced a World Heritage Site levy on this and all future development in the harbour area which will provide revenue funding to maintain and manage the harbour in perpetuity conserving this unique aspect of the World Heritage Site.

FCBStudios  also assisted the Town Council in seeking Coastal Communities Funding for the regeneration of a listed building on East Quay to deliver office space and other facilities to support the fishing industry. Further phases of development will deliver additional retail space to the south and housing with a restaurant to the north end of the quay. 

Read Matt Williams'  report  'Onwards...' on the awakening of a post-industrial port in his native homeland of Cornwall.