Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Pilton would be an ideal location for a car park - it already IS one!

 

I agree, since the holegroud project was undertaken, the last time I was there, the old offices have been taken over by a children's day centre, and somehow I can't see a useful community asset such as a children's day centre wanting to vacate that location for a railway. All I am saying is that for now, we will need to rethink this part of the line once we have the rest of it up and running.

Maybe Snapper could become our Llanfair Raven Square equivalent for now, subject to acquiring more land in the area for a car park.

 

In my limited (two weeks a year at some point between June and September) experience of Pilton Yard car park it is very popular and sometimes full. It's a good source of income for someone (Council?) and I can't see that being given up easily.

I am also bemused as to where you could site an appropriately sized car park at Snapper Halt, Bratton Fleming (or Chelfham really). I can only think that Blackmoor Gate or Woody Bay are the only places that could accommodate the likely amount of visitors arriving by car to ride the trains.

 

If by Hole Ground you mean what is now the Barnstaple Social Club, I would regard that as not to be touched, given the significant social needs of the area; the Pilton car park may also be quite challenging. But my thoughts are more that, as with other railways that have had to recreate from next to nothing, that it may be necessary to look for more than an "original" site, and consider today's world rather than just that of the 1930s.

 

That is exactly what I was hinting at, and the topography around Barnstaple does not help either, which has sprawled outwards since 1935. Looking at the OS Map of the area, there is some land south of Snapper that, if available, could become a car park. But getting people from Barnstaple out to Snapper will still be a challenge, and you would be right about looking at this from today's perspective.

It would not be worth the pain to take away established social venues, unless, in the big picture, a replacement building is planned to be built next to or as part of the railway redevelopment.

The other alternative would be to look for a site near or as part of a public park.

 

Hole Ground is not part of what was Pilton Yard, it is land behind the Social Club

 

Without comment on any particular location, “getting people out” hasn’t been a particular problem at Woody Bay, so I don’t see why it has to be a major issue at the Barnstaple end.

The railway would be selling primarily to tourists, not residents of Barnstaple. Tourism in the area is quite diffuse, and relies heavily on people having cars. While there are hotels in the town, there aren’t that many and they aren’t that large. Nor are they all walking distance of the centre - when I stay, I tend to be out at Sticklepath.

 

I stand corrected, I was sure that the plan was to get back to Pilton Yard

 

I think the plan is to work with the local authorities and people to work out what the best fit and solution would be having first demonstrated need and net benefit.

 

'the plan should be...'

 

Nope. Is.

 

Seems to me that the plan should have been to work with the authorities all along.

 

In fairness, it was. The exception was when things got tricky in the run-up to the expiry of the 2018 planning, and in the “Parracombe or bust” behaviours that followed.

 

Let's see how it all plays out and let's hope it proves to be a win...

 

Noted in the latest News item about the 'virtual quarry' at Blackmoor "...This will be scheduled after planning approval has been secured for the extension to Parracombe re-using suitable material removed from the currently infilled Killington Lane and Parracombe Lane cuttings...."
Are they just being optimistic or does someone know something that the rest of us do not?

 

Does the Trust have the money?

 

I can't see any sign of the planning application having been lodged as yet.

 

...nor any sign of early consultation with local residents etc.

Surely by doing that before submitting an application - even if only in a basic 'rough outline' form - you may be able to fend of at least some objections, rather than risk having a flood of objections coming in at a later date. At least it would help to give the impression of trying to take a more co-operative/conciliatory approach (noting that you won't be able to please all the people all the time).

 

My understanding is that this is going to be a bit of a chess game, and the opportunity to acquire this amount of fill cheaply does not happen every day. As I see it, there are two problems:- lack of a new planning application and probably the biggest issue is the lack of cash. I think it is going to take time to turn this old ship around.