Abandoned slipway in Appledore to be renovated

£1 million of devolution cash to be used

An abandoned slipway in Appledore is to be renovated.

A million pounds from the govenment as part of a deal in which local services are develoved away from Westminster to the Devon Council and Torbay Council areas will be spent on the project.

It is part of the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre initiative led by Torridge District Council, which aims to be a world leader in clean shipbuilding.

Access to the estuary, both for activities connected with the centre at Middle Dock and for recreational use, will improve as a result.

Torridge District councillors agreed to add the £1 million to other cash for the innovation centre which secured £15.6 million from the government last year.

Officers said the slipway between the innovation centre site and Harland and Wolff’s New Quay had been on the wish list, but not added to original plans for the centre. When the funding opportunity came up through the new Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (CCA) they made a request and were successful.

The money needs to be spent by the end of March or will have to be returned.

The council’s head of communities and place, Sean Kearney, said he is certain that most of the cash can be used by then but is in discussions with the county council so see if there is any flexibility.

The cash is part of the £16 million the CCA is receiving which is being split between providing affordable homes, green jobs and economic growth.

The interaction between water and land-based activities are to be a key priority for maximising the potential of the clean maritime centre and its impact on the local economy.

Because of the poor condition of the slipway, the area is currently cordoned off. Work will widen the slipway for vehicles, vessels and pedestrians and repairs will also be made to the Harland and Woolf slipway wall.

Councillors were told that it would enable a “thriving, busy quayfront”.

Mr Kearney said people could use the slipway as they wish as there would be full public access.

Council chairman Doug Bushby (Ind, Bideford North) said not only was it beneficial to the innovation centre whose deck would lead to the slipway, it would take the pressure off another slipway in Appledore which is very busy in summer and long queues lead to tempers flaring.

Work will start on the centre next year after the construction of the Quay Wall and is scheduled to open in 2026.

It will support  innovation in sectors from clean propulsion to maritime cybersecurity, robotics, aquaculture and environmental intelligence.

As well as job creation, the centre is expected to have an educational impact.It will also provide office space for businesses and for research and development.

The centre was redesigned earlier this year and the second floor of office space scrapped to keep costs down. Torridge councillors were told at the time that space would be “more efficient” and the operation of the centre wouldn’t be compromised.