Steamer Quay Upgrade
Comments
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Hi, I was also in the area a few months ago and spoke to local people walking dogs who say it's being sold for housing.
The days of Steamer Quay are gone. It was a nice site, quiet and local to the town but as always, money talks.
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Sorry but your information is wrong. You only have to look at the south hams planning website to see what the club is intending. There are times planning takes an age but finally when the green light goes on it will be a brilliant all year site.
JK
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I am assuming that because of this notification "Application re-advertised - within consultation/publicity period" on the South Hams site that plans have altered sufficiently for the council to re-advertise for comments, hence the delays?
peedee
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That is good news. Just need to know the timetable now.
David
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The council web site indicates it is still pending, I may have jumped the gun and it might only be a recommendation to the committee that conditional approval be given. Even so its progress and if finally approved, I cannot see the site opening until well into 2024.
peedee
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Just come across this very enthusiastic YouTube video about Steamer Quay suggesting that approval has been given for the redevelopment of the site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI2UwYCem0s Thought I would share.
David
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Looked on South Hams planning portal and still show's pending. Hope they can soon push on with the work's with ehu will be a local site to us we would make good use of.
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Looks as if its going to be more geared towards motorhomers? That sort of makes sense when Hillhead is not that far away which offers much more room for a mix of pitches and of course as caravanners have cars Totnes is not that far away for a visit. If they were to include metering with the refurb that would offer more choice to those that are more self sufficient? Lets hope they get on with it now!
David
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I would say it is geared towards those motorhomers that want to use their motorhomes with fully service pitches. There is a difference.
There is this perception (false in my view) that MH either don't want (or need) SP yet on the sites I've on this year it the SP have used very much by MHs, certainly always above 50% and often approaching 80%, and often with foreign motorhomes too in Scotland. So it is really a popular option for those with MHs on club sites and the club is responding to that, if MH didn't use SP in such good numbers it wouldn't in my view.
And of course there is always a choice and it will attract those members who favour that. I would imagine it's going to be popular.
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"Don't forget there is motorhome stopover parking quite close."
agreed, those passing through or just visiting Totnes for 2 nights can stay easily at Longmarsh Carpark for £10 a night.
i dont know what the Steamer Quay price will be but it is likely to be in a different league.
those MHs on Club sites hooked up to serviced pitches are likely to be staying for a longer period than two days and who don't want to move their vans...
...but for those motorhomers i know who just want a couple of nights there, given the choice, would rather stay in Longmarsh for £20 and then move on rather than 2 nights on SQ for, what?, £70-£80?
at that price, there is genuine competition from the council at rock bottom prices for short stayers.
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Personally I don't see the car park as an alternative to the Club site regardless of how cheap it is. It might be fine if you were visiting Totnes for a few hours and moving on but overnight? The bays appear to be no bigger than a standard car park? If they can get Steamer Quay sorted before the end of the year I would be quite happy to spend a week there as there seems lots to do in the Town and surrounding area. I also quite like a serviced pitch for convenience. If the report in the latest magazine is anything to go by I am not sure metered electricity will be in place by the time the site reopens?
David
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DK, There is indeed much to see and do around the town - but what a help it would be for motorhomers without cars if the Club were to arrange a shuttle bus from the new caravan site on a circular route out to the Dartington shopping village at the Cider Press Centre, and then up to Dartington Hall for the gardens and the White Hart pub restaurant there.
You and I have known other sites in other places with shuttle buses, but it would be a first tor this Club.0 -
But why wouldn’t motorhomers just drive to Dartington? The roads are quite passable - in fact, I'm almost certain it’s on a bus route.
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If this site is being aimed at MH does that mean another rebranding ?
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There's a bus from the Edinburgh club site's reception office (been running for a good few years and used by both MH and caravan users) to the city centre, and one other, possibly two, sites whose names escapes me so it wouldn't be a first by any means.
The thing is of course is that whoever runs it (it's not the club above I believe) would need for it to be profitable and therefore meeting a demand.
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Frank
Not sure any of us could cope with that
Seriously the only reason for my previous comment was that they are going to redevelop the site with all non-awning serviced pitches. That doesn't mean that caravans won't use the site but I wonder if it would put those off that like an awning? I don't know what the mix of caravans v motorhomes was before they applied for planning permission.
David
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I got the impression that over the debate about the Club's plans a great deal of emphasis was put on the aesthetics of the site and the desire to maintain a green open space. Perhaps this had something to do with why there are only non awning pitches or is it just the Club wanting to max out the number of pitches.
peedee
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David, of course facilities of the sort offered by Totnes at Longmarsh are an alternative...
millions of MH use similar facilites all over Europe, and increasingly in the UK. These Aires arent designed as luxury places but merely cheap parking for MH close to town facilities.
the maximum duration is 48hours so why would one have to hurry off after a few hours and not overnight (possibly twice) there?
Exmouth has changed its mind (again) and now offers similar overnighting in two places close to the seafront, the facility at Longmarsh is sure to be welcomed.
agreed, some folk dont like small parking spaces, but this is the nature of this service and SQ might be for them...depending on pricing, im sure it will be popular.
im sure SQ will be nice but i wouldnt pay £35-40 a night if i could have two nights in virtually the same spot for £20 total.
photo shows a similar (albeit free) set up weve used in France. Its just a car park, like Longmarsh...but with flowers.
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I am sure it will be popular what ever the price, there are always those willing to pay what is demanded, but like YT if I only want a couple of nights I an not averse to using legal overnight motorhome parking spots. There is room for both types of site as there is with 5 star hotels and B&Bs.
peedee
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We’ve used Aires like your photo YT. However unless there has been some serious upgrading the car park at Longmarsh is not comparable. Again we have on occasion used places like Longmarsh, when we have wanted to visit a particular place and it is all that was available. If a steamer quay had been present just down the road we would have been stopping there despite the premium price.
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Quite right Steve, the two don't compare and nor does the picture posted by YT. If Longmarsh was anything like YT's picture it would be worthwhile staying there. But Longmarsh is just a car park and you would have no idea, if you stayed there, whether you would get a similar unit parked right next door with hardly any room to open your door. I am pretty sure that Steamer Quay, once refurbished, it will be very popular whatever the price per night.
David
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When we went to Dartmouth for Mrs M's birthday, we stopped of at Totnes for a walk along the river and used that car park - yes, you could certainly park up there in your swish upmarket MH for a couple of nights, but be prepared to share the space with other, shall we be charitable and say "long term", users!
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David, the permitted bays at Longmarsh are every other bay, uf the spare bays had a row of potplants they would be the same as my apparently slightly more spaced out photo.
i can assure you, both locations are car parks. A touch of foliage has been used to fill the gaps.
id be interested in the price of SQ, although if they are all SP (with an extra premium) this is superfluous for a MH for 2-5 nights.
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this is superfluous for a MH for 2-5 nights.
You forgot to add in your opinion YT. Given the number of MH’s that frequent service pitches (including our own on occasion) that clearly isn’t the case for many. They / we certainly aren’t booking them to get a hardstanding pitch, as was often suggested in the past.
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Catch 22. If greenery was added, it would reduce the availability of day time parking bays. If greenery isn’t added, there’s nothing to prevent MHs squashing into adjoining bays.🤷🏻♂️
The boy racers would put me off using Longmarsh.☹️
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