This frequently-asked question comes up yet again, in one of the latest raft of letters sent to the Sidmouth Herald (1st August 2014), this time concerning the planned King Alfred Way development.

‘Newton Poppleford is well known for its traffic problems especially near the exit to King Alfred Way (KAW) where the pinch point restricts the movement of traffic on a busy road. Residents of KAW have to park in the road and children play in the area but EDDC in their wisdom are planning for Clinton Devon Estates to build a new estate of 40 houses and the supposed doctors surgery and to have entry right through this road. At the top of KAW is a footpath (Farthings Lane) which gives people from the west of the village a safe passage into the village but especially the children who now have a safe walk to school, missing the pinch point of the busy A3052. When 40 houses and the supposed Doctors surgery are built, a road will be put across this footpath taking away the only safe way for the children to get to school. There are safer places to build the much needed affordable houses in the village. Why don’t EDDC listen to the 400 people who say no more traffic for the High Street in Newton Poppleford?’
Judith Cullip

See also http://eastdevonalliance.org/2014/08/04/developers-offer-of-a-surgery-not-so-sweet/
http://eastdevonalliance.org/2014/08/04/eddcs-double-standards-at-newton-poppleford/
http://eastdevonalliance.org/2014/07/28/so-eddc-didnt-spot-extraneous-and-unlawful-planning-inducement-in-planning-app/

The King Alfred Way (KAW) controversy has been mired by other serious issues. A parish councillor (who had spoken out against the development) was reported to the police apparently by an unnamed person. The police dismissed the allegations against the councillor as totally groundless.

Many will recall that a charge of breach of Code of Conduct against the same parish councillor, brought to the attention of a special Standards Sub-Committee by the Monitoring Officer (now replaced), resulted in considerable time and public money being spent, only for the charge to be found so weak as not to warrant any action. http://eastdevonalliance.org/2014/05/17/no-sanctions-to-be-taken-against-cllr-graham-salter/

N.B. The SIN blog http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com has a considerable archive on the relevant Parish Council meetings e.g. http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/another-month-another-chaotic-planning-meeting-at-newton-poppleford/