Gweek Quay about to be bought?
Gweek Quay might even be restored to its former splendour – photo: Bilge Rat
PURCHASE: The fortunes at Gweek Quay Boatyard on the Helford River seem set to dramatically improve, writes Bilge Rat.
A prominent South Devon based classic boatbuilder told BB that, all being well, he is just weeks away from buying what is now Cornwall’s ‘centre of excellence’ for traditional wooden boatbuilding.
In the summer of 2010, Nick Freeman of The Planning Inspectorate voted firmly in favour of Gweek’s aquatic flora and fauna by dismissing Clive Emerson’s appeal against a Cornwall Council enforcement order.
The order required Mr Emerson to remove redundant machinery and thousands of tons of builders’ rubble and quarry waste, which he had spent 13 years dumping into Gweek Creek to increase the size of his boat yard.
When Mr Emerson learned that his appeal had failed, tragically, he suffered a fatal heart attack.
News of a change in ownership will come as a welcome relief to Cornwall’s planning enforcers and other local government bunglers, after they were strongly censured by the government inspector for failing to react in a timely manner.
Now they don’t know where to find £250,000 the now defunct Kerrier District Council earmarked to dig all the rubbish back out again, just in case Mr and Mrs Emerson went bankrupt.
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