Councillors approve plans for £27 million visitor attractions in Hull

They agreed planning applications to upgrade the Maritime Museum and open a new visitor centre on the River Hull, where the country’s last sidewinder trawler will take up a new berth, as part of the £27.4m Yorkshire’s Maritime City project.

The plans for North End Shipyard will see Arctic Corsair, the sole survivor of the city’s once massive side trawling fleet, fully restored in a dry berth on the River Hull, with visitors directed through Queens Gardens, which is also getting a £4.3m facelift.

The council is expecting to hear from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in the autumn whether its £13.6 million bid for funding is successful.

If it is work could start as soon as early 2020.

Legendary tree which survived English Civil War faces the axeThe hope is the tourism project will attract another 300,000 visitors a year.

Deputy council leader Daren Hale said: “Today’s decision is a significant step forward in our ambitious plans to celebrate our rich maritime history.

“The approval of this scheme will not only protect and transform our maritime sites; it will give us the opportunity to showcase our compelling story as a thriving maritime city and making Hull an attractive place to visit – adding to our fantastic tourism and cultural offer.

“The end result will be something the city can be really proud of.”

The council has committed £10m and a fundraising campaign is already underway to achieve a £2.6m funding shortfall.