South Hams District Council are putting plans for the regeneration of Kingsbridge Quayside to public consultation this week.

The plans, which include development of the land below the Quayside Leisure Centre, opening up of the roundabout area at the bottom of Fore Street, a housing development at the old Ropewalk site and an area earmarked for ‘community housing’ will be available for members of the public to see and comment on from Friday, June 16.

The area, which used to be known as K2 in the Development Plan Document and is now known as The Quayside, has been allocated in the Joint Local Plan for a mix of residential and employment development.

No firm plans are in place, with the South Hams District Council officers insisting that this is a consultation to see if people would be happy with redevelopment of the area in principle, and the process will require full planning permission.

They say that this ‘masterplan’, which has so far cost around £100,000, is aiming to “enhance the town to bene?t the local community and increase its attractiveness to visitors” but admitted that affordable housing within the scheme would be reliant on more expensive development in other areas.

Included in the plan is the possibility of apartments along the front of the estuary, removing some of the car parking spaces, with the bottom floor being reserved for commercial activity - due to flooding risk, you can’t have the ground floor as residential.

There is also an area designated for ‘community housing’, (area four on the image) housing priced at 70 per cent of market value - rather than the 80 per cent for ‘affordable housing’ - and controlled by the community through community housing groups and land trusts.

The Cattle Market car park would remain as a car park (area three on the image), with smart parking signage as you enter Kingsbridge, to give people more information on where car parks are and how many spaces are left in each area. Ropewalk would be developed for residential housing.

The plans would remove 57 parking spaces from Kingsbridge, but officers say that the development would “look to make sure car parking demand was met” through “improved management”, such as the Quay car park being focussed on visitors and shoppers, while the Cattle Market car park would be more focussed on residents and permit holders.

The area around the roundabout at the bottom of Fore Street, where Ilbert Road, Embankment Road, Fore Street and Bridge Street meet (area one on the image), could be opened up to become more of a pedestrian zone, with more space for external seating, markets, and to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

The hope would be to open this area up to encourage movement of people and shoppers from the bottom of town and up Fore Street.

A spokesperson for South Hams District Council said: “The aims of the project are to support the community by providing housing, employment, car parking provision, leisure facilities and a significantly improved public realm area linking Fore Street to the Quayside.

“The three areas which o?er potential for regeneration and development are the Town Square and bus station, the Quayside car park and the leisure centre. Finally, the Cattle Market Car Park and adjoining areas.

“The quay has the potential to become an exciting and vibrant place that attracts visitors to Kingsbridge and provides a place for the local community to enjoy the waterfront. The proposal is to create residential apartments with some opportunities for cafes and restaurants along the waterfront, which would rejuvenate this area.

“As part of the study, SHDC are looking at proposals to improve the highway design and public realm including the relationship between vehicle and pedestrian movement around the Town Square.

“These proposals could redefine the space, ease traffic flows and road safety, while improving access to the high street.

“Near the Cattle Market car park, around 40 new affordable homes are aimed for as part of a new community housing scheme built in partnership with the local community. This would provide accessible homes and sustainable buildings that offer a high level of energy efficiency.”

South Hams District Councillor for Kingsbridge, Keith Wingate, said: “There is much about this that fills me with concern. Some of this scheme will support South Hams going into the future, but I don’t think this should do that. I think that there are some key areas around Ropewalk and the community housing development, that I fully support, but how we fund that I’m not sure.

“One of another things I’m passionate about is the flooding in the quay area and improvements to the water flow out of the bottom of the town. I don’t think this development currently considers that, and I remain extremely concerned about the amount of money spent to get us this far.”

Kingsbridge Town Councillor and chair of the planning committee, Robin Griffin, said: “Let’s face it, our townsfolk are dominated by vehicles either mobile or parked. Some amenities are just in the wrong place, Kingsbridge people deserve better than this.

“I hope everyone will welcome the SHDC investment, and keep an open mind and give the designs a chance. I like the continental feel to the town centre makeover, it will put pedestrians and visitors at their ease and loosen their wallets.

“We desperately need a hotel by the water. The ria should be our Unique Selling Point and a jewel in South Hams, featuring marine business and water sports like it used to.

“However I feel the heartfelt attitude of my colleagues, about providing housing our towns folk can actually afford, must be earnestly and honestly addressed if the project is to proceed.”

Cllr John Tucker, Leader of SHDC, said: “This is a very exciting proposal to enhance and redevelop Kingsbridge’s Quayside, while still regaining the town’s unique identity. We urge residents and visitors to engage with these proposals and help to shape the future of the town by logging their comments on the consultation website.

“We have the chance to do something really wonderful in the town and look forward to hearing your views.”

South Hams District Council say they are committed to working with the local community to shape the development of the proposals. They would like to invite local residents, businesses and visitors to Kingsbridge to share their views in a consultation which runs for three weeks to help us shape the emerging plans.

The consultation opens on Friday, June 16, and runs until midnight on Sunday, July 9. From Saturday July 1, until Friday, July 7, there will be exhibitions in the town where residents can talk to members of the project team.

On Saturday, July 1, they will be in the Town Square between 10am and 2pm. Between Monday, July 3, and Wednesday, July 5, they will be ay Kingsbridge Library between 9am and 4pm. On Thursday, July 6, they will be in Tesco foyer between 5pm and 7pm and on Friday, July 7, they will be back at Kingsbridge Library between 9am and 4pm.

Visit the website consultation page to find out more and to respond to the proposals at the website: www.southhams.gov.uk/kingsbridgequayside which went live this morning.