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Monday 5 June 2017

Regenerating Exmouth seafront >>> further protests planned > Saturday 17th June

The redevelopment of Port Royal at Sidmouth's seafront is being approached with some caution - with decisive input sought from residents:
Futures Forum: Neighbourhood Plan: final household survey launched > and the Port Royal Scoping Study

There are fears that it could go the same way as the redevelopment of Exmouth's seafront:
Futures Forum: Regenerating Exmouth seafront  >>> cabinet report Wednesday 9th November >>> demonstration Saturday 12th November >>> reports

The process has been very much council officer and councillor-led:
Futures Forum: Top-down regeneration in East Devon
Futures Forum: Regenerating Exmouth seafront >>> the District Council gets 'creative' with creating a new 'community group' to 'deliver a vision for Exmouth'

Exmouth town council voted in February to OK the plans:
Exmouth seafront application wins backing despite concerns - Breaking news & sport in Exmouth | Exmouth Journal

And in April the District Council did likewise:
£18m Exmouth seafront redevelopment plans approved - recap | Devon Live
Controversial Exmouth seafront redevelopment plans given the green light | Devon Live

It's all very exciting - according to the council:
Regeneration projects in Exmouth - East Devon

But not according to the group which has been campaigning against the regeneration plans for years now:
Exmouth Splash - Public Opinion & Discussion Page - Home | Facebook

Now that contracts are about to be signed
Exmouth seafront: EDDC ready to get into bed with Grenadier – more protests | East Devon Watch

... further protests are now planned:
Saturday June 17th 2017 | Save Exmouth Seafront
Another protest planned against controversial Exmouth seafront redevelopment | Devon Live

Here's the full story to date:

Council and developer set to sign agreement over watersports centre for Exmouth seafront

By DanielClark | Posted: June 02, 2017



The controversial major redevelopment of Exmouth seafront is set to take a massive step forward as East Devon District Council have said they hope to be signing an agreement soon with a developer over plans for a new watersports centre.

The council's development management committee gave the green light in April by 10 votes to four to approve the £18million redevelopment plans which will transform the centre area of Queen's Drive, Exmouth,

The proposals include the construction a new watersports centre, a hotel with 71 bedrooms, a Minigolf centre, a restaurant, a café, including coast watch observation deck, a 250 space car park, and retail shops.

The decision means the council could technically now go ahead and deliver the £18million regeneration scheme, but it has publicly stated it is not its intention to do so.

The council have now said that they hope to sign an agreement with the watersports centre developer Grenadier, who will reveal their building designs soon, ahead of submitting a formal planning application later this year,

But it comes as campaigners from Save Exmouth Seafront are once again set to protest against the redevelopment plans,

Campaigners in Exmouth staged a protest march in November last year calling for further consultation on the controversial seafront redevelopment plans.

Now they are planning to link arms and form a 'conga cordon' around the area threatened with the redevelopment to highlight the scale of change that will engulf the seafront on Saturday, June 17, at 12pm.

Nick Hookway, the spokesman for Save Exmouth Seafront, said: “The time has come to raise the profile again of the campaign again because the two remaining businesses on Queen's Drive – the Harbour View Café and the Fun Park – will have to close at the end of the summer period on August 31 at their leases expire. What happens next after that we just don't know.

“We are concerned that the area will be left empty and there will be an air of dereliction about the whole site. Why should Exmouth residents have to put up with a derelict seafront as a result of this?

“We are still concerned about the overall development and the protests will continue and we want to raise the profile again."


Read more Here's what will happen next with the Exmouth seafront redevelopment plans

Asked why the Harbour View Café and the fun park have to close on August 31, an East Devon District Council spokesman said: “Both the Harbour View Café and the fun park received notice almost two years ago of the council's decision to end their leases.

“This is a vital site on the wonderful seafront of Exmouth and we want to see investment and new, more modern activities there for everyone to enjoy."

Talking about the next phase, the spokesman added: “The council is moving forward with the three-phase development of Queen's Drive and we look forward to shortly signing an agreement with the watersports centre developer Grenadier who will reveal their building designs soon.

“Following a period of full public consultation, the proposed watersports centre development will go through the planning decision process by the autumn. Shortly afterwards we will begin to build the new road as part of the realignment of Queen's Drive and the building of a new 250 space car park "


Read more £18m Exmouth seafront redevelopment plans approved - recap

Mr Hookway said that the idea of the next protest on June 17 by Save Exmouth Seafront is to form a 'conga cordon' around the site that will be developed as part of the Queen's Drive scheme.

He added: "We want as many supporters as possible to link arms to form a cordon around the area threatened with development to highlight the area threatened with dereliction. We need as many as possible to make our protest work.

He said that they are asking people to arrive at 11.45am, and then at 12pm they will link arms start the cordon around the site. Then at 12.30pm they will be manning three tables - one outside the Harbour View Cafe, one outside the Fun Park, and one where the proposed watersports centre will be where people can come to then and raise any issues they have

“Please give us your support as the battle to save our seafront is by no means over," he added.


Council and developer set to sign agreement over watersports centre for Exmouth seafront | Devon Live
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