Tourism in Seaton post-development
Projected figures for tourist visits in the planning application are:
250,000 for the Visitors Centre
100,000 plus for the Tramway
30,000 plus for the Wetlands Centre.
Let's says that 25% of them visit two attractions whilst they are here (they won't visit all three as they can park for only 3 hours - after that it is a £70 fine if they follow the principle that Tesco uses in Axminster), so that gives us:
187,500 for the Visitors Centre
75,000 for the Tramway
22,500 for the Wetlands Centre plus
an unknown number of tourists using the SUSTRANS cycle route and
an unknown number of tourists using Seaton to "Shop for Leisure"
Total number of tourists: 285,000 minimum
Let's say that these attractions are open 50 weeks a year for 7 days a week (I know that the Tramway shuts down for most of the winter but let's imagine that it stays open to service the Wetlands tourists) = 350 days per year.
This means that they expect a minimum of 800 tourists per day, 7 days per week, 50 weeks a year, to fulfill this projection.
Do you think that 800 tourists per day will come to Seaton 7 days a week, 50 weeks a year to park for a maximum of 3 hours to visit one or two of the three attractions available to them? And, if so, WHERE WILL THEY STAY?
And, bear in mind, for at least 2-3 years, the regeneration area will be a building site. There will be no Visitor's Centre, no Tramway, no Wetlands Centre, nowhere to park and nowhere to stay and lorries will be trundling in at the rate of at least 60 per day so we will have no tourists at all.
Although they are going to get the supermarket, the DIY store, the 555 car parking lot and the petrol station up and running first so at least we will be able to shop for leisure (or fill up your car and escape the mess) quite quickly!
Would anyone like to put me right on this?
posted by Fighting for East Devon's future @ 12:37 pm
4 Comments:
How much I agree with your calculations. Remember that these people will do their maths in a "male" fashion, rather like when we men go to but a new car. Give us the car, and we`ll fix the maths ! In this case, how many tourists are needed to persuade everyone that all this is a `good idea`? Easy, - the answer is `how many to make this thing work`. Thereafter it`s a doddle.
We ALL know that this is total pie in the sky.
Also, if I owned a house on or even near a Seaton access road I`d be dead worried with the prospect of AT LEAST three years of 6 wheelers bringing in debris to build up the land and subsequently the building materials of all descriptions. Go on, treat yourself - there are 4 roads in and four out and two of those meet at the bottom of Seaton Downs Road... so let us call it 3, not 4. A small wager that the people of Axemouth won`t be too keen to see their only highway - very narrow in places - turned into a truck track, and I doubt the bridge would last long under constant 30 ton+ poundings, so that reduces it to Colyford Road, Seaton Downs Road/Harepath Road - TWO in all.
Think yourself lucky your house wont be blighted by the constant rumble of 6 or 8 wheelers...or will it ?
There we are, enough of a rant for today. We are sleepwalking into an utter disaster !
Richard EDWARDS
Seaton Wines
Has anyone thought about the dust problem - especially if we have a dry summer? This is covered extensively in the planning application and makes grim reading. Basically there will be lots of it for a long time. Not good news for any asthma or emphysema sufferers or anyone else with a lung problem living near the site.
And it isn't just the hardcore to build the site up - then follow pilings (bang, bang, bang), concrete (bash, bash, bash) and building materials (crash, bang, wallop).
Seaton is to be a " day visit town" (EDDC's terminology).
Surely this means that there needs to be a major increase in the long term parking provision. In the height of the season there is not enough parking as it is. The proposals indicate that there is to be a significant reduction of spaces available, and no long term parking at all - which will hit the Tramway, and other local towns and villages.
If it is to be believed that we are to have a major increase in day visitors, then we need more parking, not less!
Presumably revenue from car parks is not as great as that from houses and shops.
I don't think we will be able to get to the new petrol station for all the lorries that will still be delivering material to the site. They are going to be coming one every 5 minutes down the road past the supermarket so you'll take your life in your hands getting to that on foot.
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