At Last - The Riverside Loading Steps
Members will know that many setbacks have delayed the start of this much wanted project.
The first report on this page was in April 2009 and you can see that below.
For over two years your committee, and particularly John Clarke, project manager and latterly Laurie Watson as his successor, have struggled to get funding, design plans, planning permission and with a host of other matters in order to get to this point.
John and Laurie cannot be praised high enough for their tireless efforts.
This community based project brought together a number of Funders: Awards for All, East Cornwall Local Action Group, Viridor Credits, West Looe Town Trust, Cornwall Community Foundation, Malthurst Retail and Looe Boat Owners themselves. The project provides better facilities in Looe for both locals and visitors alike. It demonstrates an example of partnership working in action.
The steps will improve access to the water, in particular for boats refuelling and recovering casualties by Looe RNLI where emergency services are restricted, especially in the summer when the narrow roads in Looe become congested.
This project builds on previous LBOA successes in the town, in particular the West Looe Millpool, slipway improvements, which are now generally regarded as the best access to the water in South East Cornwall. Also, Looe Boatwatch, which since its inception, four years ago, has seen boat related crime in the area reduced to zero.
Laurie Watson LBOA Project Manager said ‘ This has been a long and often technically challenging project, started late in 2008 and costing almost £27,000. Thanks to all our funders and Cornwall Council technical department who provided support and technical expertise and to all of Looe’s local organisations that supported the project. We are pleased and proud of the final result’
The formal opening of the refuelling stage takes place on 15 July 20011 at 16.30, when it is opened by Cornwall and local Councillors Edwina Hannaford and Armand Toms
The slide show below tells the story of the build.
Pictures will be added as and when there is progress
Riverside Loading Steps
Last summer (2008) your committee looked into varoius options for getting fuel onto boats.
These were discussed with members and a set of metal steps seemed to provide the answer:- the Steps from River Bank Car Park became the current LBOA project. In addition to much safer loading of fuel, passengers can also be picked up from the car park.
How the steps might look
By December draft plans and costings had been prepared. Grants are available for Community Projects to organisations such as LBOA, but they must have good community support.
The major community organisations in Looe were approached and we have letters of support from the following:
Looe Harbour Commissioners, RNLI, Looe Town Council, Looe Sailing Club, West Looe Town Trust, East Looe Town Trust, Looe Development Trust, SECTA, Looe Town Forum, Jerry Wood, Looe Coast Guard. Caradon District Council have given general approval and support.
The cost is likely to be about £16,000, the majority of which will come from Awards for All (Lottery) who helped with the Millpool Slipway 2 years ago. Other organisations have been approached and a full list of contributors will be published in due course.
At an onsite meeting with the Council the siting of the steps was agreed to be where the ticket machine and ramp stand.
John Clarke (the Steps Project Manager) has now received planning permission and has to date raised substantial amounts in grants and we are hopeful that the steps will materialise this coming Autumn(2009).