Recent History
Following World War II Drake's Island remained under the administration of the War Office, which, despite having announced in 1956 that it was no longer needed for defence purposes, did not finally vacate the island until 1963, when Plymouth City Council obtained a lease from the Crown with the aim of establishing a youth adventure training centre there. This centre was opened in 1964, the year in which a mains water supply finally reached the island.
On 1 May 1987 the island got its first telephone line, using a cable attached to the mains water pipe. The telephone number was Plymouth 63393. The warden had previously used the Ministry of Defence system. Shortly afterwards, on 31 March 1989, the Mayflower Trust surrendered their lease and sold off the boats and sports equipment. Ownership reverted to the Crown.
Drake's Island Adventure Centre, under the custody of the Mayflower Centre Trust, operated until the surrender of the lease in 1989.
Former Plymouth Argyle chairman, Dan McCauley bought the island for £384,000 from the Crown Estate in 1995. As of 2005 it contains derelict military barracks and buildings from the Napoleonic era, and a MoD radio mast. In 2003, Plymouth City Council turned down a planning application from McCauley to build a hotel and leisure complex replete with helipad.
In May 2005 the island attracted British media attention when one of the empty buildings on the island was squatted by a group of anti-nuclear protestors, Trident Ploughshares.
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