Letter in the Driving section of today’s Sunday Times:
“Drivers suffering from parking fatigue or road rage should make a beeline for Northampton town centre … In four of its main car parks the first two hours are free on weekdays, and weekends are free all day. The effect is nothing short of dramatic: the town is buzzing with activity and businesses are booming, quite unlike in much of the country. Parking authorities take not.”
Indeed.
A seafront trader whose family-run attraction faces closure after 40 years has blasted council bosses for not considering his plans to develop his business.
East Devon District Council wants to transform part of the seafront into the Queens Drive Leisure Area – and say it will be the last season for the attractions. But Chris Wright, whose family run Exmouth Fun Park, the Arnold Palmer Putting Course, and Jungle Fun, says he has submitted detailed proposals to improve his business, writes David Beasley. For 10 years he has urged the district council to grant him a longer lease so he can invest.
Outline permission for a water sports centre, hotel, gardens, indoor leisure, restaurant, shops and car park has been granted. Mr Wright told the Journal: “They said that they would work with the existing tenants and opportunities would exist for those who submitted suitable proposals.
“We submitted our own detailed proposals. Indeed, elements of the outline design are based on our suggestions. “Regrettably, we have heard nothing substantive from the council, save that it will be delivered by developers, rather than local existing businesses.
“It is disappointing for me that my suggestions have been adopted but I am not being considered. It is also very disappointing for the town that local businesses are not being given the opportunity to participate in the new development.”
He said businesses had not been kept up to date and information had been ‘vague’, adding: “It is extremely distressing to the traders, staff and their families whose livelihoods are at stake.”
Mr Wright called for a meeting with the project manager, and said: “Our lease has not ended, and does not end this year. We will continue to operate and entertain visitors and residents alike.”
A council spokeswoman confirmed it had received proposals from Mr Wright and others. “All discussions are ongoing and, clearly, confidential due to commercial sensitivity. “We have always said that we would like to include some opportunities within the new development for local businesses such as shops, cafes and leisure activity provision. “Further details of these will evolve throughout the development process.”
She added that they had been in regular contact with their tenants: “Negotiations for developments of this size take time so we can ensure the best possible outcome for the residents of and visitors to Exmouth.”
There are two responses to the article:
Transition Town Exmouth, is keen that the development on Queen’s Drive is to the highest standards of sustainability and hope that the EDDC chiefs in their closed-door negotiations are making the same point to the potential developers and not assuring them that the cheapest options will suffice. Experience shows that investment for quality at the design stage is repaid over the long life of the facilities. Adrian Toole Interim Chair
And from”Cecil”:
I cannot beleive we are losing all those brilliant outside activitys down the sea front,we spend hours at the beach park,it’s ideal for my 3 year old and 6 year old,hours of fun Why we need another restaurant to sit empty 10 months of the year and more indoor attractions is beyond me We have indoor attractions,there’s going to be nothing for the under 5s down the sea front A splash water zone is great for half an hour but then kids get cold ,it’s also to busy for my 3 year old They built one of these further up the road and closed it due to many complications! The beach park is brilliant hours of fun,this town hardly listens to the peoples views,rolle college,Elizabeth hall,the strand,we are always being told it was wanted but I haven’t met any one who wants the beach park etc to go,but no doubt it will and the town will spend a fortune on something un used and parents and children will go else where for what the children really like!
http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/give_us_seafront_traders_a_look_in_1_3666233
According to the Journal EDDC has announced plans to turn the free car park by the Public Hall in Budleigh Salterton to one for permit holders only. If so, this is surely the worst of all outcomes. Not only is the car park no longer free but would only be available to permit holders i.e would exclude visitors and those attending events in the Hall! There is no nearby alternative of this capacity.
The plans were due to be decided on by EDDC’s cabinet on Wednesday — however, there was hope that a last-minute compromise could be found.
Councillor Tom Wright, a member of Budleigh Salterton Town Council and EDDC’s deputy cabinet member for environment, is reported as saying: “We hope that the cabinet will arrive at a compromise which will allow flexible, low cost parking, for residents of Budleigh and our visitors.”. But the Town’s fate may already be sealed.
The saga of the car park began in 2012, when the town council, which had rented the car park for £500 a year, was told EDDC wanted to increase this to £35,000. The town council made a counter offer of £6,500, which was rejected, and heard no more about the matter until now.
An EDDC spokesman said: “Our district-wide car parks review found that it was not reasonable for EDDC to subsidise ‘free’ town centre car parking for just one town in East Devon.
But as Cllr Wright pointed out: “EDDC is trying to say it’s a free car park. It’s not free. The people of Budleigh Salterton have been paying for it through their precept levied by the town council.” (Town ratepayers have been paying for maintenance and no costs fall on other East Devon ratepayers.)
In fact the land was “given” to the people of Budleigh in the shape of the then Urban District Council by Clinton Devon Estates on a peppercorn long lease. Ownership, unfortunately, had to be transferred out of local hands to EDDC when the district council was formed in 1976.
Both the Chamber of Commerce and Budleigh in Business, as well as the Town Council, are opposed to the introduction of charging because of the damage it will do to business and social events such as the series of local festivals.
Wasn’t one of the principles of localism to encourage local communities to make these sorts of decisions to suit local needs? Or are we witnessing another example of “one size fits all” policy making aimed at destroying local identity and creating a degree of conformity that one used to see in the USSR?
Seaside towns like Budleigh and Exmouth have large car parks with good access to the sea but far away from the town centres. They need all the help they can get to encourage visitors into the towns themselves.
From an article in today’s Budleigh Journal it is clear that the Environment Agency (EA) believes that Budleigh beach will be among the ten or so beaches in Devon, out of nearly two hundred, likely to fail to meet the more stringent bathing water quality standards being introduced next year. If it is, then there will have to be “no swimming” signs posted along the sea front with devastating implications to tourism. Add to that the strong possibility of the free parking being withdrawn (see below) and Budleigh could be in real trouble.
It appears that water quality was excellent until about 2010 when something changed. Extensive monitoring of the beach and all the rivers and brooks that empty into the sea at Budleigh is ongoing.
What on earth could have changed in five years?
It won’t be if it all turns to concrete:
See http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/s-time-leave-children-better-environment-act/story-21126750-detail/story.html
para 3 – about importance of nature to our wellbeing
para 4 – fundamental to the economic prosperity in Westcountry, “quality of the landscapes that makes the region an attractive place to visit, to work, and to do business.”
para 6 – importance of bees and hoverflies to pollinate crops
….. “Last year, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset attracted 1.3m visits from abroad – 536,000 in Devon (up 148,000), 319,000 in Cornwall (an increase of 16,000) and 496,000 in Somerset (up 101,000).”
Can anyone. recall any major initiative on tourism by East Devon District Council in the last few years? Anyone recall the name of the EDDC Champion for Tourism?
Read more at http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Foreign-tourist-lavish-552m-Devon-Cornwall/story-21086915-detail/story.html#FUWOoiyvj6dzSEcO.99
Can anyone point us to anything that EDDC’s ‘Champion for Tourism’ has said or done that was useful for the district? Googling her name and East Devon for the last year gives up one reference where she adds her name to ‘Devon is Open for Business’ after the recent storms.
Can anyone name her without looking it up?
No, of course it isn’t being organised by EDDC! For them tourism doesn’t seem to exist.
East Devon Watch 