Report by Harbour Master (attached)

The Committee considered a report by the Harbour Master (circulated previously) regarding Ilfracombe Pier Car Park.

The Head of Place, Property and Regeneration highlighted the following:

·         Between 17 June and 29 July 2024 a public consultation was held as per Equality Impact Assessment guidance to help formulate the Business case submission for the re-surfacing/re-lining and other improvements to the Ilfracombe Pier Car Park.

·         169 responses were received and section 4.2 of the report details the questions asked.

·         Some suggestions were provided regarding the improvement works.  33.7% of the responses suggested a change of use of the car park.

·         There were a number of issues associated with this as set out at sections 4.3 to 4.5 of the report.

·         Being a Statutory Harbour, Ilfracombe Harbour had certain duties to uphold, one of these being the need for the shipping and unshipping of goods which entailed a road transport element.

·         Between March and October the car park was used to store boats out of the water.

·         Local businesses would have an adverse effect as lack of car parking in the town would have a financial impact on their trade.

·         There would be a loss of revenue to the Council.

·         If Members did want to consider a change of use of the car park a much wider consultation would be required to include the town as a whole and not just the Pier users which this Equality Impact Assessment was designed for.

·         A new layout for the car park had been devised which took into account the comments made by the 34.6% who requested a more pedestrian and disabled friendly area.

In response to questions the Head of Place, Property and Regeneration gave the following responses:

·         Devon County Council were responsible for the highway and therefore amending speed limits for traffic along Quay Road.

·         Ilfracombe Town Council had undertaken a consultation around issues along Quay Road over two years ago.  There was no consensus on how to mitigate issues along the road.  We had made requests to Devon County about taking on the responsibility to find solutions to help everybody.

·         The brief for the consultation we carried out was in relation to the car park resurfacing works.  As a result of the numerous comments in relation to change of use it was felt this should be brought to Members attention.

·         The use of the car park for boats over winter did not have too much impact on the car park in regards to loss of parking.  The use of the car park in the summer months was completely different over the winter months.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive added that the Capital Bid would come forwards in relation to the car park works but could be after a meeting had taken place with the Ilfracombe Regeneration Board or other group where a discussion around future use of the car park and surrounding area had taken place.  A wider consultation could be decided to take place and this might change the direction of the project.

RESOLVED:

(a)  That the area continue to be used as a car park with the added benefits recommended in the consultation; to include improvements to and additional disabled bays, developed from the Equality Impact Assessment responses; and

(b)  The Ilfracombe Regeneration Board or other group are to discuss what they would like the long-term use of the car park to be, prior to the Capital Bid coming forward.