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Exmouth set for £60m facelift

• An aerial view of Exmouth

PLANS for a potential £60-million facelift for Exmouth have been unveiled as part of a massive development blueprint for the town, writes Tim Platt.

A new supermarket, leisure centre, visitor attractions and homes are included in the scheme announced by East Devon District Council.

A new swimming pool, seafront restaurant complex and boat slipway could also be coming under the plans announced at Exmouth Pavilion on Monday.

If approved, the developments could all be in place within four years. The plans are now set to go out to public consultation before a final design brief is drafted.

District council leader Sara Randall Johnson said: “We don’t want a standstill and, with that in mind, we must deliver these improvements in the town.”

Members of the district council’s executive committee are expected to approve the start of public consultation on the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, September
29.

District council corporate director for environment and scheme leader Karime Hassan said: “I am optimistic about where we are going and I think the big issues will be favourably received.”

But Exmouth town councillor and deputy mayor Eileen Wragg has urged “careful consideration” over the proposals for Exmouth’s future prosperity.

She said: “This plan needs very careful consideration and thought indeed.
“What is built on these sites will be there for 100 years at least.”

According to district council plans, a planning application would be submitted for the developments by next June before a decision is made in December.

The completed developments would be hoped to be in place by the end of 2008.

New ASDA could bring 350 new jobs

THE estuary car park site has been earmarked as the best spot for a new 40,000 square foot supermarket.

Retail chain Asda are believed to be very interested in opening a store on the site as part of a major shopping complex.

The estuary site has been chosen after studies found Exmouth’s London Inn car park site was too small to take a large store.

Development of the London Inn site for a major supermarket would have meant East Devon District Council buying 50 neighbouring properties at a cost of £50-million.

It is estimated a new supermarket at the estuary car park, behind the rail and bus stations, could create up to 350 full and part-time jobs.

A second major retail outlet has been identified as necessary for Exmouth after research found above-average trading levels at the existing Tesco supermarket in Salterton Road.

It is also estimated a new large supermarket could bring up to £31-million into the store and Exmouth as a whole.

The store would need around 250 car parking spaces with a review of parking provision in Exmouth due to be finished soon.

District council corporate director for the environment Karime Hassan said: “The first priority is to address the issue of a food supermarket.

“This needs to be a mixed use development. It isn’t sufficient to have just a food supermarket there and expect it to be enough.”

Development of the estuary site for a supermarket could also mean the relocation of the neighbouring sports centre.

Sites for a new leisure complex are yet to be identified with the cost of building a new centre thought to be around £5-million.

Funding for a new leisure centre and swimming pool would be provided by cash raised through redevelopment of the estuary site.

Meanwhile, the London Inn car park site has been earmarked for possible retail use with more high street-style shops being installed.

Elizabeth Hall

Possible site for pub- restaurant

• Elizabeth Hall

ELIZABETH Hall has been identified as one of two prime seafront locations which have significantly under-performed financially in recent years.

The single-storey Victorian building is now used mainly for car boot sales as well as meetings of the Exmouth Art Group and drama classes.

Members of EDDC’s executive board are being recommended to declare the site surplus to requirements after it took only £11,905 income last year.

Plans could now include using the site for possible pub/restaurant or residential purposes.

District council corporate director for the environment Karime Hassan said: “This is a site which is not delivering its full potential.

“The question is whether this is an opportunity we should take to provide an increased commercial income on the seafront.”

If declared surplus to requirements, the Elizabeth Hall site would be placed on the open market for offers from developers.

Mamhead slipway

Easing boat launches

• Mamhead Slipway.

TRAFFIC problems around Mamhead Slipway have prompted an urgent review of facilities at the busy boat-launching site.

The slipway, and surrounding areas, have been identified for investment to reduce road congestion among people waiting to use the site.

Problems have included traffic, insufficient space for vehicles waiting to launch boats and coaches waiting to unload passengers of Stuart Line Cruises which uses the slipway.

Plans to revamp the site include developing a patch of grass adjoining the slipway into a waiting area for trailers wishing to launch.

Planning permission would be required for the change, which would help to ease jams in a restricted parking zone.

District council officers have recommended a change of use for the waiting area be taken forward as part of the development proposals.

The Gut

Water sports centre

• The Gut

PLANS for a water sports centre in Exmouth include promoting the town as a leading centre for boating and seaborne activities.

The Foxholes car park site has been earmarked for the centre with plans being drawn up by the Exmouth Waterside Group.

It is being recommended that the district council should consider funding a large part of the project through cash raised from selling off land.

The money raised would then allow the waterside group to submit a planning application and make further bids for funding.

Cash for the centre could come from a possible sale of The Maer car park.

The water sports and activity centre is estimated to cost around £1.5million including money from the National Lottery Sports Fund.

The waterside group hopes to secure £1million of the total cost through public funding.

Bowling, cafe and shops

AN offer from a ten-pin bowling centre company is already on the table for the site of the old swimming pool on Exmouth seafront.

The site is currently unused with offers being invited from the district council for redevelopment.

The bowling firm offer is now under consideration by the district council as commercial advisers assess the offer and seek the best price for the land.

A bowling complex could also include a new restaurant, cafe and shops scheme.
This scheme was granted planning permission last October.
A decision on the future of the area is due soon.

The Maer

Low-cost homes to raise funds

THE Maer car park could be sold off to raise cash to fund other development projects around Exmouth.

The 345-space site is well-used during the summer but lies empty at other times – raising doubts over its usefulness. The car park raised just £10,000 in parking charges last year.

Plans for the site now include a possible residential development of 100 low-cost homes.

Money raised from a sale of the site may go towards funding a new waterside centre at The Gut near Camperdown Terrace.

Members of the district council’s executive board are being recommended to approve a consultation exercise to investigate if there is public support for the residential scheme.

EDDC’s corporate director for the environment, Karime Hassan, said: “If we are going to re-brand Exmouth and deliver on its potential then this is the sort of choice we have to make.”

Esplanade

New visitor attraction

CHANGES to Exmouth’s seafront road could be made, including plans for a visitor attraction or swimming pool.

The junction of The Esplanade could be altered at its junction with Queen’s Drive. The new-look road would cut through an area of The Maer instead of continuing straight along the seafront.

The proposals could free an area of land currently used as a car park for development.

A potential visitor attraction would focus on East Devon’s World Heritage Coast and the Exe Estuary. Alternatively, a swimming pool development is under consideration.

A pool is being considered for the site in conjunction with plans to relocate Exmouth’s leisure centre.

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