Views sought as council considers future of quays

North Devon Council said it would need to find £500,000 to make sure the three quays comply with the new port and marine safety code

Boat owners and water users have been asked to give their views on whether three quays should remain in use.

North Devon Council has said it would need to find £500,000 to ensure all marine facilities at Castle Quay and Rolle Quay in Barnstaple and Fremington Quay comply with the new port and marine facility safety code.

The council said decommissioning the sites would cost less than a fifth of the cost of removing boating-related equipment but it would mean that boats could no longer dock there, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The consultation is due to end on 5 January.

The council said if it removed buoys, ladders and mooring rings for boats, the slipways could still be used by groups and individuals for water activities such as paddleboarding and rowing.

At a North Devon Council meeing last September members expressed some concern that Barnstaple would lose its historic status as a port if the marine activities were removed.

They asked for the consultation to take place to gain "a deeper understanding" of how the sites were used.

Cllr Malcolm Wilkinson, lead member for coastal communities at North Devon Council, said: "We recognise that Castle Quay, Rolle Quay and Fremington Quay each have their own rich history.

"If they are to be retained for ongoing use, we have a duty of care to ensure our facilities are safe and meet modern industry-standard requirements."

He said this would be "a significant undertaking" that needed to reflect the communities' interests.