Plans for new housing at a disused Rochester shipyard have been submitted.

Acorn Shipyard, in Gas House Road, could be redeveloped into 132 flats, a café and commercial space.

The shipyard has sat empty since it closed in 2017 and was later destroyed by a spate of fires.

The plans involve the construction of four buildings, with the tallest reaching nine storeys.

A new pier on the River Medway is also proposed, serving yachts and motor vessels.

This may include a “permanent placement” for the Medway Queen, a 1920s ship which rescued thousands of troops from France in World War Two, according to the developer.

The paddle steamer is currently based at Gillingham Pier.

As part of the plans, a total of 128 car parking spaces would serve the development.

Other improvements include upgrading flood defences and refurbishing the shipyard’s historic yellow crane, which will be kept.

However, no affordable housing or developer contributions, known as Section 106, will be provided.

A report submitted for the planning application stated that offering these “would result in an undeliverable scheme for the applicant.”

The reasons given include the cost of replacing the river wall, which is estimated to come in at £2.2m, the report said.

Acorn Shipyard is believed to date the 1890s, under the former name of Delce Wharf.

It was once the main base and maintenance yard for the New Medway Steam Packet Company, which ran leisure trips and passenger services from Rochester to Sheerness and Southend.

But by 2017 the shipyard collapsed into administration and closed permanently.

Just a few months later it was destroyed by numerous arson attacks – including a fire that caused a cylinder to explode.

The site, now demolished, eventually sold for £1.7m last June.

A decision on the planning application is expected by 29 October.

View and comment on the plans here or by searching MC/24/1535 on Medway Council’s Planning Portal.