Ambitious plans are in place to redevelop six acres of land around the Explosion! Museum at Priddy's Hard.

Developers Verve Properties hope to build 64 homes, two shops, several cafes, 10 craft studios, a small brewery and a hotel on the former armaments depot.

But the plans will see the end of Explosion! as a public museum.

Although all exhibits will be retained and remain in public ownership, the building will be converted into a themed bar-café-restaurant complex, with some displays stripped out and distributed throughout the development as 'public art'.

Verve has promised to restore the existing historic maritime buildings at the heart of the development, which it claims will 'transform Priddy's Hard into a waterfront tourist destination'.

Councillor Peter Chegwyn, chairman of Gosport Borough Council's community and environment board, said the development was excellent news.

'It will bring back to life an important but until now neglected area of great historical interest,' he said.

'This is an exciting regeneration project and the council has great confidence in Verve to deliver an inspiring proposal that will be of enormous benefit to the Gosport peninsula.'

A planning application should be submitted within the next few months, outlining the plans in detail. The developer is also in discussion with English Heritage about the proposals.

Ashley Nicholson, co-director at Verve, said: 'Gosport Borough Council was anxious to find a developer who would meet their vision for complementary destination activities and to provide vibrancy to the historic site.

'In playing up the waterfront and the historical connections, we intend to create a vibrant waterside location that families will visit often.'

The Gosport-based Oakleaf Brewing Company confirmed it would be taking a central part in the new development by opening a micro brewery.

Director Dave Pickersgill said: 'We are still in discussion but it's looking promising. We have been brewing in Gosport for eight years and we need to ex-pand to cope with the demand.'