PLANS to transform land at East Cowes into a marine business park, with offices and research and development areas, have been unveiled.

The Homes and Communities Agency, which owns the land, has lodged a planning application to redevelop Kingston Marine Park with the Isle of Wight Council.

It follows the approval of Red Funnel's application to build a new multi-million pound terminal and marshalling yard which will displace marine businesses at Venture Quays.

The council has said those businesses will be relocated to Kingston, which it hopes will become a new shipbuilding hub for the Island. Those plans, however, have stalled while funding is found.

The site, adjacent to the Hawthorn Meadows estate off Saunders Way, is currently just an area of cleared land. If the plans are approved by the council the land will be transformed into a marine business park comprising office, research and development areas, and areas for industrial storage and distribution.

The site will also feature a 200-tonne hoist dock, jetty and waiting pontoon.

The application states: "Implementation of these proposals will allow the site to be brought into beneficial employment use, continuing a long-tradition of marine employment activity along the River Medina and creating and sustaining local employment."

Residents can view and comment on the full plans here.