On this day in Wembury — 20 January 1909

Examiners of Private Bills in the House of Commons approved the Wembury (Plymouth) Commercial Dock and Railway Bill, sending it forward for its first reading. The scheme, first proposed in the early 1900s, aimed to transform the quiet Wembury coastline into a major commercial port, complete with railway links, warehouses, and breakwaters stretching into Wembury Bay.

Backed by private investors and supported by industrial interests in Plymouth, the plan envisioned rivaling the city’s existing dock facilities. Advocates pointed to the deep water of Wembury Bay and its sheltered position behind the Mewstone as an ideal anchorage. However, the proposal met fierce local opposition from landowners, conservationists, and the National Trust, which had only recently begun protecting coastal sites. Critics warned that the dock would destroy Wembury’s natural beauty and rural character.

Though the Bill passed its preliminary parliamentary stage on this day, it ultimately collapsed amid financial and environmental objections, and the project was abandoned before construction began. Its failure proved pivotal for Wembury’s future, preserving the unspoiled coastline that later became part of the National Trust’s Wembury Estate, now celebrated for its landscape, wildlife, and historical setting.

Source: Western Morning News, 20 January 1909.