Fitted Rigging House in Chatham Dockyard

The Historic Dockyard at Chatham is a site of exceptional international maritime heritage significance, which attracts up to 170,000 visitors a year. It was in use as a Royal Dockyard from 1613 to 1984 and is arguably the most complete Dockyard of the Age of Sail to survive in the world. The site contains over 100 buildings and structures of which 47 are scheduled as Ancient Monuments (SAM), making it the most complete dockyard of the Age of Sail in the world. Today, The Historic Dockyard is under the stewardship of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust (the Trust). To become financially revenue sustainable by growing self-generated income principally via visitor and tenant income streams is one of their key objectives. With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Phase 1 conversion of the North of the Fitted Rigging House (FRHN) into office and museum space has now been completed. As the FRHN occupies approximately two thirds of the FRH, the Fitted Rigging House South (FRHS) presents the important next phase in the Dockyard's potentially 'once in a lifetime opportunity' to secure, not only its own future sustainability, but also that of the wider historic dockyard site. Phase 2 will be achieved by bringing the remaining undeveloped and unoccupied floors of FRHS c.2,785m2 Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA), into commercial income-generating use for letting. It is also worth noting that the site is used for filming and 8 quiet days should be allowed for in relation to the works. In summary, the stated aims and objectives of the Fitted Rigging House South project are as follows: - Bring the southern end of the FRH into effective re-use, contributing to the Trust's sustainable economic future by bringing the remaining undeveloped and unoccupied floors of FRHS c.2,785m2 Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA), into commercial income-generating use for letting. - It is envisioned that the FRHS will be in use for letting Spring 2023.