GB04 – Ilfracombe Watersports Centre

The new Ilfracombe Watersports Centre will be an exciting, state-of-the-art marine leisure hub at Larkstone Cove and a real asset to North Devon. It will provide numerous watersport opportunities for residents and visitors to make the most of our fantastic coastline from the water and enjoy the spectacular scenery including canoeing, gig boats and sailing.

The new centre will boast community facilities for local watersports clubs and include storage for boats, a slipway providing safe and easy access to the water, training and event facilities and a commercial café with stunning views of the harbour.

The project will regenerate and enhance the historic harbour area which is the main tourist attraction within the town, already home to ‘Verity’, Damian Hursts’ sculpture and the gateway for trips to Lundy Island.   It will improve and increase tourism, create jobs for the area and support local businesses as well as the economic recovery in the South West. With so many UK residents choosing to Staycation, this wonderful new asset for Ilfracombe could not come at a better time.

 

Getting Building Funding: £1.5m

Completion date: March 2022

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    David Ralph

    Chief Executive

    David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.

    Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.

    David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.