Regenerating Exmouth seafront: "the council have not done anything to progress the development of the site"

Things are not looking too good down at Exmouth's seafront:
Futures Forum: Regenerating Exmouth seafront: development vs World Heritage Site status

A point raised further in the media:
Fears raised about effect of East Devon District Council's Exmouth seafront plans on Jurassic Coast - Latest Exmouth News - Exmouth Journal

With observations from East Devon Watch looking at the notes of the Exmouth seafront regeneration latest:
Exmouth Regeneration Board notes* – not all going to plan** | East Devon Watch

Meanwhile, campaigners have demanded 'a proper consultation so that we can come up with something that the public actually wants':


'Astonishing' revelation that Exmouth seafront site hasn't been remarketed yet for redevelopment

By DanielClark | Posted: August 11, 2017

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Save Exmouth Seafront campaigners have hit out at the 'astonishing' news that East Devon District Council have not yet remarketed the Exmouth seafront Queens Drive site for development since sacking the previous developers last summer.

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.

Phase two of the scheme, which in plans for a world class, environmentally friendly watersports centre in Exmouth are expected to soon be released for public consultation by Grenadier Estates, the council's preferred development partner.

But a Freedom of Information Request to East Devon District Council has revealed that phase three of the development – the proposed mixed leisure use site – has not been remarketed by the council since the sacked the previous developers Moirai Capital Investments of Bournemouth in July 2016.




Exmouth seafront Queen's Drive development site

East Devon District Council say that they want to ensure the public has a say on the development on these sites before they go back to the market, but Save Exmouth Seafront campaigners have said that they feel misled by the council and have raised questions about the overall development.

The family-run Harbour View Café and Chip Shop is set to disappear from the seafront after 40 years of trading at the end of September, and the family Fun Park will close at the end of August as a result of the plans.Nick Hookway, Save Exmouth Seafront spokesman, said: "It was really surprising to find out from the Freedom of Information Request that the council have not even remarketed the rest of the Queens Drive site. I question what the point of all these years of arguments and have been if the council have done nothing to remarket the site.

"Having found out that nothing will happen imminently, the people in Exmouth feel misled and are really wondering why the Fun Park and the Harbour View Café have to close this summer when it is clear that nothing will happen for years. We were left astonished by the news that the council have not done anything to progress the development of the site, particularly as they have had the planning permission for the development for a while."

He added: "Now is time to go back to the public and have a proper consultation so that we can come up with something that the public actually wants, as it should be up to them rather than the council to decide what happens to the site."

The Freedom of Information Request revealed that the council have not progressed the re-marketing of this site since July 2016 when they sacked previous developers Moirai Capital Investments.

When asked by Devon Live why they have not remarked the site, a spokesman for East Devon District Council said: "The council's focus at the moment has been on securing its development agreement with the water sports centre investor, Grenadier Estates, and enabling them to bring their plans to public consultation in the autumn. Before we go back to the market for Phase 3, the former Fun Park and café sites, the council has committed to developing a new leisure and mixed use vision for these sites. We want to make sure that the public and business has a say in what happens on the remaining sites before they are marketed."

Phase two of the development, the proposed watersports centre, is not connected to phase three of the development. Grenadier Estates, the council's preferred development partner for the watersports centre, have said that they are committed to sharing their plans with the community and will hold a consultation event with the public before a formal planning application is submitted.

Save Exmouth Seafront campaigners are also urging both East Devon District Council and Grenadier Estates to re-consider the building of a Water Sports centre after concern that its location will 'threaten the entire existence of a World Heritage Site'.

When planning permission was granted in April, a timeline of development as to what will happen next was revealed, although timescales may have slipped since then.


'Astonishing' revelation that Exmouth seafront site hasn't been remarketed yet for redevelopment | Devon Live
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