Help Save the Landing-Stage/Pontoon


The Petition has now closed, thank you to all who responded. The outcome, which could take several months, is awaited.

A Petition has been raised to save the Pontoon at North Corner, Devonport, and needs as many signatures as possible. Will you sign please?

  • Were you born in Devonport with a love for your history - did your ancestors use the Pontoon??
  • Do you fish off the pontoon?
  • Do you tie your boat alongside sometimes?
  • Do you takes trips up the river Tamar where the boats call into North Corner for refreshments?

The landing-stage is 130 years old and has become a part of Devonport's culture, yet this historic feature of Devonport life is to be removed by the city council!

(This site's main article on the Pontoon is on this page, an article about fishing off the pontoon is here, and here is the link to the Piermaster's House.)


The Petition


To the House of Commons,
* This Petition of residents Of Devonport and Plymouth and others declare that the petitioners are concerned about the condition of the North Corner Quay and Landing Stage, Devonport and request that it should be restored and repaired;

* that the Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government should use his powers contained in Part IV clause 48 of the Plymouth City Council Act (1987) to direct Plymouth City Council to restore and repair the North Corner Quay and Landing Stage, Devonport as contained in Clause 26, Part IV of said Act.


The hard copy of this Petition is on the counter of The Steam Packet pub at North Corner.

For those who cannot get to the Steam Packet and would like to respond now, digitally, would you kindly send a brief email in support, giving your name, to [email protected]

Thank you, it's appreciated.

Reasons given by the council for closure of the landing stage are that it is ‘deemed unsafe for public use following a structural survey’. But why do they refuse to repair it and prefer to dismantle it altogether? In various reports over the last decade the landing stage has been deemed important; important to river transport, and to increasing tourism to the Tamar and the Tamar Valley.

MP Oliver Colvile is supporting the campaign. To quote his original comments made to the Herald newspaper [1]....“This is a stunningly attractive piece of waterfront and we need to make sure we get this sorted. My job is to is to try and find an alternative source of money. The more we can regenerate this end of Devonport the better that will be to help us build on our reputation as one of the finest marine communities in the world ” . Mr Colvile promised he would write to ministers about funding and to Plymouth City council to push them on the issue.

Given the council's earlier reports on the need for the pontoon, given the full support of a local Member of Parliament, and given the increasing number of signatures being gathered daily, then why is the council still intent on removing the Pontoon altogether?

[1] http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/MP-backs-fight-save-Pontoon/story-15771658-detail/story.html#axzz2P9ujHzyl