Portsmouth City Council has granted planning consent to convert part of the historic Vulcan building at Gunwharf Quays into an art gallery and heritage centre.

Completed in 1874, about 63 years after its foundation stone was laid, the building was originally used for storage of a variety of naval items from sails to the ordnance from which Gunwharf Quays takes its name.

The building’s north wing and central clock tower were destroyed by a German incendiary device during WW2 but developers, Berkeley Group, has rebuilt both. Seafood restaurant chain, Loch Fyne, opened a new restaurant in the north wing earlier this year and the rest of the building – a Scheduled Ancient Monument – has been carefully restored.

Berkeley has already discussed the proposals with a number of potential art gallery operators and the Portsmouth-based Aspex Visual Arts Trust has expressed considerable interest.

Gunwharf Quays is a £200m award-winning waterside mixed-use development by the Berkeley Group and Land Securities on Portsmouth Harbour. Details: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk and type “Gunwharf” in the news search engine