A MARINE and hovercraft manufacturer that makes vessels for The Ministry of Defence (M.OD) has successfully applied to build a temporary boat repair shed in Southampton.

Griffon Hovercraft, which houses its main manufacturing and office facilities on Merlin Quay in Woolston, will expand its site on 8 Hazel Road, to build the temporary structure in which to repair vessels.

Planning documents submitted to Southampton City Council (SCC) state that the company is not currently receiving enough orders to fill the Merlin Quay workshop that it had used for the last decade, so is vacating the site to reduce costs.

Work at Hazel Road has previously included repairs and maintenance of both hovercraft and boats, both military and civilian.

Griffon Hoverwork Ltd (est. 1954) produce military, rescue, and commercial hovercraft which operate in 41 countries.

They work with organisations including the Canadian Coast Guard, the Colombian Navy and the United Kingdom's Royal Marines.

In their application to build the shed, the company stated: “Current work maintaining small MOD boats undertaken out of the elements at 8 Hazel Road so the proposed building would be a temporary structure designed to provide cover from the elements and a satisfactory working environment for our staff.”

The work to be carried out includes electrical upgrades, and minor repairs on areas such as the vessels' hulls and seats.

Griffon Hovercraft have said there will be “no production of industrial waste” and noise levels will be “very low compared to current routine activity on the site.”

The shed will be built east of the current shed in place and the development site will cover an are of 2073 square metres.

The council granted temporary consent for the work, under the condition that the development no later than three years from the date permission was granted.

The development must also be discontinued in under five years after the site's first operational use.

SCC also ordered that working hours on the site be between 8am-6pm Mon- Fri and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.

The reason gives was to "protect the amenities of the occupiers of existing nearby residential properties."

The work is planned to start in late 2021.