Mamhead Slipway set for £1m rebuild
East Devon District Council is set to give the go ahead for a new and improved slipway to be built at Mamhead Gardens replacing the existing, dangerous structure that closed for safety reasons in August 2012.
Cabinet (5 February) is being asked to approve the submission of a planning application and an application for a marine licence to allow the works to go ahead with the estimated cost for the replacement slipway between £1m and £1.5m. Some of this will come from the capital raised from the sale of the former Elizabeth Hall site. Further funding will come from Devon County Council and East Devon District Council, while potential sources of external funding will be sought.
The replacement slipway is a key priority within the Exmouth vision to change the town centre and seafront to establish the resort as an attractive 21st century destination for residents, businesses and visitors. The aim is to provide a re-orientated slipway with additional manoeuvring space. This option was supported by both the water users group and the Exmouth Regeneration Programme Board.
Councillor Andrew Moulding, deputy leader of East Devon District Council and chair of the Exmouth Regeneration Programme Board, said “This is very welcome news for water users both locally and further afield and for the many businesses in the town that benefit from our visitors. We have been, and will continue to be, thorough in our preparations for this major project to ensure that it is the right design and technical specification to provide the best facilities we can for water users and others using the seafront.”
Site investigation work has taken place over the last few months providing valuable information about the extent of the void under the current slipway and to give a picture of the geological strata, the structure of the seawall and state of the seabed.
These investigations have helped to inform the design of the new, proposed slipway. In particular the review of coastal processes indicated the trend of the channel moving towards the Exmouth side of the estuary and as this is likely to continue the improved design with the slipway angled towards the calmer water is recommended. This design also provides space for some vehicle parking and manoeuvring adjacent to the slipway and off the road.
Improving the slipway at Mamhead will attract users away from other slipways on the Exe estuary which are in more environmentally sensitive areas as well as attracting more users from outside East Devon providing economic benefits for Exmouth and East Devon.
It is hoped that work will begin on the new slipway later this year with completion in 2015, subject to securing finance and the necessary planning, marine and environmental approvals.
