The recent planning application by the owners of Richmond Dock, Appledore has understandably generated a lot of discussion locally. The Wheatcroft Collection, claiming to be the largest collection of Second World War vehicles and artefacts in private hands, purchased Richmond Dock in 2020 in order to house their collection of boats and maritime artefacts, including a German S130 Schnellboat currently being restored in Plymouth. 

The discussions around this application highlight the debate about how heritage sites can be repurposed while maintaining their original historical appearance and purpose. 

Richmond Dock was constructed in 1856 by William Yeo on the Appledore foreshore that had been used for ship construction probably from as early as medieval times. At the time it was considered to be the largest dry dock in the Bristol Channel. In the early 19^th century, when timber supply from Baltic ports was disrupted by the Napoleonic wars, timber from the Richmond Bay area of Prince Edward Island, was imported to the Torridge estuary for shipbuilding. Ships built in Prince Edward Island were sailed here to be fitted out.

Appledore retains a strong relationship with the river and the sea. Large scale shipbuilding moved to Bidna in the 1970s but ship building and repair continued at Richmond Dock until the early 1980s, bringing employment and prosperity. Listed grade II it is one of the top 7% of all listed structures in England.

The 14 Heritage Harbours and Heritage Inland Ports in the UK are supported by community groups who actively promote maritime heritage in their local area and help safeguard the buildings, quays and shipyards that make them special. Heritage Harbours are home to many heritage vessels both static and working ships. They all require suitable places, such as dry docks, where maintenance and restoration can be caried out by skilled craftsmen. 

Richmond Dock is probably the most complete 19^th century built maritime infrastructure along the estuary. It still maintains its original structure and purpose and should be a working dry dock, whether for heritage or commercial use, with operational dock gates and if covered then using a retractable roof, as successfully employed at Albion Dock, Bristol. If this application for heritage use is successful then it should be open to the public. The Wheatcroft Collection would attract national and international interest and complement maritime heritage along the river.