A half-a-million pound refurbishment of the harbour’s South Quay Shed could take inspiration from a famous Shoreditch development.

The Harbour Board has revealed it plans to turn the historic building into a commercial and community space that “celebrates local maritime and industrial heritage”.

And committee members say the venue could be reminiscent of Boxpark, a London chain of ‘pop-up’ malls that brings together food, shopping, and entertainment outlets, offering flexible leases to brands, restaurants, galleries, and leisure companies.

Boxpark’s flagship venue was built in Shoreditch in 2011 and is constructed from repurposed shipping containers. Plans for the South Quay Shed echo this concept, providing “a diverse variety of letting offers, space and terms” and incorporating shipping containers into the design.

But Harbour Board members were keen to confirm the famous Invicta locomotive engine - which needs a new base - will still be offered a permanent home at the Shed, regardless of refurbishment.

“What we’re saying is that there is simply an option to include Invicta within the plans,” said Paul Moore. “Even if Invicta doesn’t go to the Shed, we will still move forward with the idea and refurbish it.”

Where the 189-year-old Invicta steam engine is relocated is currently out to public consultation, with the harbour building and Whitstable Museum the two options.

If it goes to the Shed, money will be spent on building a climate-controlled “glass box” in which to house Invicta, to protect it from salt and flood damage.

But if Invicta goes to the museum, the Harbour Board will still use its £550,000 budget to transform the Shed into a “Boxpark-style” venue that would include space for local artists to work and sell their pieces.

The building would also offer a “bright, open, and flexible space, possibly capable of accommodating performance, cinema evenings, and some small-scale productions”.

This development would form part of a wider regeneration of the harbour area, where work is soon to start on transforming the old Tile Warehouse and Oval Chalet sites.