SOUTH Hams councillors are preparing to spend £76,000 on a masterplanning exercise aimed at regenerating the quayside heart of Kingsbridge.

The district council now owns the majority of a huge area of land alongside part of the estuary that includes The Quay car park and the slipway, the Squares Quay homes, the Kingsbridge leisure centre and the Ropewalk car park.

The last piece of the land jigsaw fell into place in May this year when the district council snapped up land at Ropewalk specifically to enable the masterplanning exercise to get underway – to make way for ambitious proposals involving new homes and employment space.

The council’s executive has already decided on the consultants who will put together the masterplan in line with the council vision for the future of the site – to ‘create a vibrant and mixed use quarter for the business, living, leisure and commercial sectors’.

If the district council gives the go ahead then the master planning exercise is likely to take around six months to complete, members of the council’s executive were told.

The executive recommended the go ahead for the consultants to be employed despite concerns that the cost has more than doubled since proposals were first put forward for the masterplan exercise and that the final report will end up sitting ‘on a shelf’.

Kingsbridge district councillor Keith Wingate said he had been ‘concerned’ when the cost of the project had been £30,000 and was even more worried now that it had jumped to £76,000.

‘It is more than double what was originally being talked about,’ he pointed out.

He said he was concerned that it was a lot of money for ‘a report to sit on the shelf for a long time’.

But council leader John Tucker said the cash was a small amount compared to the possible £20 to £25 million project that could result from it.

‘We are not planning to let this stand idle. We plan to move on with it,’ he told councillors.

A report to the executive pointed out that then regeneration of the town centre area ‘is central to driving forward growth in the town which is why the council has ambitious plans in line with its corporate objectives of affordable homes and economy.

‘The implications of not supporting the recommendations of the report are that it will be extremely difficult for this large site allocation to be developed in a strategic way that extensively considers the existing constraints, stakeholders, commercial property position, residential mix and economic benefits.’

It added: ‘Development of this site will enable the council to improve its revenue portfolio whilst providing a mix of affordable and open market dwellings, together with employment space.

‘Implementation of the master plan will enhance the vitality and viability of the town for both the local population and as a visitor destination, building on an already strong and vibrant community.’

The report also pointed out: ‘Through this masterplanning process, the views of the community will be able to be incorporated into the outcomes in a way that could not be achieved through adhoc development.

‘It is strongly felt that the only way a development of this scale can be successful is through thorough stakeholder engagement, as per the requirements of this masterplan brief.’

Martin Johnson, Kingsbridge town clerk said: ‘The whole area is in the K2 site for redevelopment.

‘The town council have always supported K2 for development, and it was identified as the K2 site in February 2011, for the development of 100 homes and one hectare of employment land.

‘It’s an idea, that obviously starts with drawing up plans and getting an architect in.

‘And when they come up with something in black and white, they will consult the local community.’

Samantha Short from Kingsbridge Information Centre and a member of Kingsbridge and Salcombe Chamber of Commerce said: ‘It was only a matter of time before South Hams Council chose to reconsider it’s use of prime waterfront land as a car park and a location for public toilets.

‘Whilst the cost of this consultation seems excessive, I hope it means that the consultation process will be sensitive to the area and long term needs of the local population but ultimately will result in a brave and bold future vision for the town.’