Drakes Island

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doug748

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Drakes Island in Plymouth has been put up for sale, asking 6 million.
25 years ago it was bought by a local Devon character for £400,000. He had a "dream" of building a luxury hotel complex on the site; most Plymouthians have a dream of it belonging to the city and being used by kids for outdoor pursuits as it was in the past.

The "dream" of building the hotel seems to have fizzled out for the original owners at about the time they got planning permission.

Kerr, Ching
 
I lived and worked there for one season and one winter 82/83, it's been really sad to see it crumble into ruins.

As I understand it after buying it he rented out space for the Comms mast which paid him a good rent from the MOD/POP, which the council could have done. When I was there it was in reasonable condition and an interesting place to explore, we knew all the tunnels and used them as a caving circuit for evening activities, as well as having great climbing walls, an abseil vertical wall and a safe beach to work from. Plymouth is never going to be the place for a luxury up market hotel it doesn't have the weather or other city attractions, but as an outward bound centre it was perfect. I am biased of course.
 
doug748 said:
A good point.

I have never quite understood why they were not pursued for the neglect of the listed buildings over 25 years.
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There is no legal obligation for owners of listed buildings to maintain them in any particular state.

In fact some would argue that the legal constraints and consents required for works on listed buildings is a barrier to maintenance.
 
I'm going to be sailing down that way next week and am planning on anchoring in the cove nearby - just this weekend I had found a youtube of some drone footage of the island, it looks interesting, I was assuming it was all off limits and surely MOD owned and protected, seemingly not, does anyone know if is it ok to go ashore and explore?
 
Phildorset said:
I'm going to be sailing down that way next week and am planning on anchoring in the cove nearby - just this weekend I had found a youtube of some drone footage of the island, it looks interesting, I was assuming it was all off limits and surely MOD owned and protected, seemingly not, does anyone know if is it ok to go ashore and explore?
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Lets just say that you see lots of people visiting on a summers day.
 
Phildorset said:
I'm going to be sailing down that way next week and am planning on anchoring in the cove nearby - just this weekend I had found a youtube of some drone footage of the island, it looks interesting, I was assuming it was all off limits and surely MOD owned and protected, seemingly not, does anyone know if is it ok to go ashore and explore?
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If by the cove nearby you mean barnpool, be careful about underwater obstructions and fouling your anchor - there are 2, one marked one not. The unmarked one is the remains of the WW2 LST pier and is directly in line with the prominent road leading down to the waterline.

As for Drake's Island, technically not, and the people (holding group) who own it are known to be 'difficult'. But at the end of the day if you don't cause any damage, then I think it would be difficult for them to do very much.
 
Phildorset said:
I'm going to be sailing down that way next week and am planning on anchoring in the cove nearby - just this weekend I had found a youtube of some drone footage of the island, it looks interesting, I was assuming it was all off limits and surely MOD owned and protected, seemingly not, does anyone know if is it ok to go ashore and explore?
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As above, the owners seem absent, signage is dilapidated or missing, some of the buildings are in a dangerous state.

A lot of people seem to be using it as a community asset. MOD have no interests on the island just now. You can anchor off, just be aware of the cables shown on the chart.
 
doug748 said:
As above, the owners seem absent, signage is dilapidated or missing, some of the buildings are in a dangerous state.

A lot of people seem to be using it as a community asset. MOD have no interests on the island just now. You can anchor off, just be aware of the cables shown on the chart.
Click to expand...

Thanks both for the tips re the obstructions in Barn Pool, useful & duly noted (that is indeed where I meant), as to the island - great, if the weather is nice and time allows I'll chance it and have an explore.
 
This thread caught my eye because i am a bit of a Drake Fan and saw the island last year.

In NZ we had a situation where a piece of private land adjacent to a National park and attached to a very nice beach, was put up for sale.
A couple of guys started a crowd fund and a trust and succeeded in buying the property on behalf of the great nz public. To be kept undeveloped and open to all.
If we can do it in NZ with our small population maybe you can too?
 
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Just in case anyone was wondering what the island looks like.

I've never been closer than there, test-sailing a boat I didn't buy. :rolleyes:
 
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