Concerns have been raised about the viability of a temporary car park proposed for Exmouth seafront.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) is seeking to create 13 spaces on land behind the rowing club, in Queen’s Drive.

The plot, owned by the authority, has previously been used by Exmouth RNLI for storage.

Tony Crowhurst, vice-chairman of Exmouth Rowing Club, has questioned the financial viability of the car park, adding: “There is a lot of work that needs to be done to create a safe car parking space which I don’t think they will recoup.

“The fact that they are going to be using the duck pond for events – we’re going to have a double whammy of people parking to use that area and those parking behind us.”

Mr Crowhurst also questioned the impact the plan will have on the club’s ability to transport their boats across the road to the beach.

He said: “We’re a local club and have got around 80-odd members. We do a lot of things in the community but this will make our ability to transport boats across the sea even harder.

“Already, people will park in front on the club and go dog walking for one or two hours and we can’t get our boats out.

“I would say at least once a week we’re in a situation where we have to ask people to move their cars from the front of our gates.”

An EDDC spokesman said it is aware of the rowing club’s concerns and believes they can be resolved.

Exmouth Town Council’s planning committee is set to discuss the application on Monday (April 30).

EDDC’s cabinet is due to decide whether or not the proposed facility should be included on the authority’s parking places order.

According to agenda papers for the meeting to be held on Wednesday, May 2, at Knowle, Sidmouth, officers are recommending that councillors approve this.

EDDC say they have sought cabinet approval prior to planning permission as they intend to have the car park operational by this summer.

A spokesman for EDDC said: “We are hoping to be able to offer the car park for public use this summer so we are running both of these processes in parallel to save time.”

EDDC planners will make the final decision on the application.