Tender awarded to Caravan Club at Steamer Quay site

South Hams District Council have awarded a tender for a lease renewal to the Caravan Club at the Steamer Quay Road site in Totnes. 

A tender process was held for the existing site and following an evaluation process, the existing tenants, the Caravan Club, won the tender to renew their existing lease agreement, which is due to run out on 5 October 2022, subject to approval by the Executive Committee in September and completion of the lease contract.

The Caravan Club has been on the site since 1970, with the current lease being renewed four years ago. As the district council is the landowner of the land to the east of Steamer Quay Road, the site was tendered to gain interest from potential operators who commit to invest in the site and improve the facilities for visitors to Totnes.

Investment into the site is hoped to boost the town’s visitor economy and will bring tourists to the town extending the season into the off-peak seasons and throughout the year. Visitors would then spend money in the wider South Hams as they explore the area.

The Caravan Club propose spending in excessive of £1m to improve facilities to stay open all year round. They have a timetable of works proposed for this winter, subject to the usual planning approval, so they can reopen next spring. The club has requested a 40-year lease, which local Totnes ward members have supported.

South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Commercial Strategy, Cllr Hilary Bastone, said: “This is a really good opportunity for investment into the visitor economy for Totnes. It will see a substantial improvement in the caravan site that will draw tourists to the town throughout the year.

“This in turn will have an impact on the wider economy across the South Hams as visitors travel across the district enjoying all it has to offer. This proposal has the support of local members, but is still subject to agreement by the rest of the executive with the contracts also still needing to be agreed.

“The Caravan Club have an extensive plan of works which will need to progress through planning, so there are still stages to progress through but it’s a positive step in the right direction.”

Final agreement is now subject to approval by the executive at their meeting on Thursday, 15 September, and subject to contracts being agreed.

For information on the executive meeting on Thursday 15 September, visit: www.southhams.gov.uk/executive

Any future planning applications will appear on the council’s website here: www.southhams.gov.uk/planning