Guide Belshers Slipway

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3. Results from residents

Consultation packs were sent in the post to the 100 households nearest to Shelly Beach and Belshers Slipway. The consultation as a whole was also widely publicised using flyers and posters distributed in the local area, in the local media, on our website and social media accounts. Exmouth Town Council and District Councillors were made aware of the consultation and asked to publicise it amongst their residents. The resident’s consultation was available online for people to complete if they wished. Stakeholders, businesses and people we knew were interested in the area were given information about the consultation. There were 98 respondents.

How use of Belshers Slipway and Shelly Beach affects you

  • 60% stated that their quality of life had not been reduced by vehicles and watercraft using Belshers Slipway and Shelly Beach, 40% stated that it had.
  • Of the 40% who said it had reduced their quality of life 52% said it reduced their quality of life more often than once or twice a week.
  • 50% stated that vehicles and watercraft using the slipway and the beach were not a problem at all. 30% said it was a very or fairly big problem.

The main reasons given for any reduction to quality of life were:

  1. Noisy, inconsiderate and dangerous jet skis ? 
  2. Vehicles parking on the sand causing problems ? 
  3. Vehicles exiting the slipway and beach at speed / recklessly and causing problems

11% said that the effect on their quality of life had improved over the last three years, 43% said the effect had got worse. Of those that said it had got worse the main reasons given were that Mamhead Slipway is closed and usage has increased.

If we were to ban the launching and recovery of watercraft at Belshers Slipway and from Shelly Beach what impact(s) would this have on you?

56% stated it would have negative impact(s) on them, mainly as:

  1. I use the slipway and beach myself for watercraft (some said, it’s part of the reason I bought my home)
  2. I moved to this property as I like watching watercraft, this enjoyment would reduce

40% stated it would have positive impact(s), mainly as:

  1. It would reduce the noise pollution
  2. Only jet skis need to be banned for a positive impact to happen
  3. Increased safety when using the area and the water
  4. The amount of traffic in the area would reduce

10% stated it would have no impact.

If we were to ban the use of Belshers Slipway for driving non-water based vehicles down onto Shelly Beach to access watercraft moored in the estuary, what impact(s) would this have on you?

51% stated it would have positive impact(s) on them. Mainly as:

  1. Improved safety as there would be less dangerous driving to the slipway, down it and around the beach
  2. Reduced noise levels
  3. Less vehicles and trailers parked on the beach, so I can enjoy it more

40% said it would have negative impact(s). Mainly as:

  1. There’s no other way for me / others to launch, recover and access watercraft
  2. A lack of access points already to the water / watercraft

26% said it would have no impact.

What uses of Belshers Slipway and Shelly Beach do you feel we should ban using a Public Space Protection Order, if any? ? 

  • 45% - none, allow uses as they currently are ? 
  • 33% - the launching and recovery of engine powered watercraft
  • 29% - a ban on other uses of Shelly Beach and Belshers Slipway (the majority said the use of jets skis should be banned) ? 
  • 18% - the use of the slipway to drive down onto Shelly Beach to access watercraft moored in the estuary ? 
  • 2% - the launch and recovery of non-engine powered watercraft

Other questions

When asked if they had any other comments, the most common were: ? 

  1. Only jet skis are the cause of the issues
  2. The property owners here knew about the launch and recovery point when they moved here, why should they be able to stop it now
  3. Once Mamhead is open it will help solve the issues ? 
  4. I am against a PSPO ? 
  5. Proper policing and enforcement is needed on the water ? 
  6. Exmouth needs more launch and recover points, not less ? 
  7. People park illegally to use the area, police this

About you

  • 80% stated their residence near the area is their main home. 20% said it is a second home or holiday home.
  • 17% said someone in their household has a long standing illness, disability or infirmity.

Additional e-mails and letters

There were additional e-mails and letters received. These were forwarded onto the legal team for consideration alongside these results.