Croyde Bay Investigation

Introduction

Croyde Bay is a village on the west-facing coastline of North Devon. The village lies on the South West Coast Path near to Baggy Point, which is owned by the National Trust. It lies within the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Croyde Stream runs through the village.  One of the main features of Croyde is its 800m sandy beach situated in a secluded bay.  The village has several small campsites, a small retail area and a large holiday park, Ruda Holiday Park.  The past 30 years has seen large increases in younger-age visitors due to the popularity of surfing. The impact of tourism on the village has been varied. Some local landowners have benefited from the increased property prices. Tourism has helped to create jobs that were lost in agriculture. Local farming has declined, with former farmland converted into caravan sites and fields for seasonal camping. Like many seaside villages, the phenomenon of second homes has pushed house prices beyond the reach of most local people. There is little year-round employment, because tourism is seasonal, and most businesses are closed out of season.  For this reason Croyde Bay is classed as a Honeypot.  The nearest railway station is in Barnstaple and is 16.5 km away. On Mondays-Saturdays, there is an hourly bus service to Croyde from Barnstaple, with a two-hourly frequency on Sundays.  The nearest motorway (M5) is 30 miles away.

As a result of its popularity and increase in population there is an issue surrounding the provision of parking.  At present there are 3 car parks in the village, two of which are seasonal.  Therefore there is a need for a new car park to meet the demand of locals, tourists and surfers.  This enquiry should lead individuals to consider the best site for a new car park in Croyde Bay.