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13 Jul 2015

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Asset sweating, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Extra parking in Seaton is a “cash cow for EDDC” says district councillor

A £250,000 project to add an overflow car park with 69 parking spaces has been approved despite opposition from some residents. …

… East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) development management committee said it is looking to reverse some of the losses caused by the creation of the Seaton Jurassic Centre.

“Seaton Town Council’s Jim Knight voiced his concerns in the planning officer’s report, calling the decision ‘unwanted and a cash cow for EDDC’.

He said: “There will be more congestion from all the new entrances being allowed on The Underfleet road with severe speeding problems and the loss of a very valued amenity and no proof that it is needed.”

Cllr Knight added that there would be a decrease in the quality of life in the area with the possible increase of noise and light pollution.”

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/go_ahead_given_for_250_000_car_park_1_4150211

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East Devon Watch

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13 Jul 2015

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Asset sweating, Austerity cuts, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Seaton wartime searchlight building renovation – a fortuitous coincidence

http://www.devon24.co.uk/news/seaton_s_searchlight_building_set_for_grand_unveiling_1_4151316

Lovely. The renovation wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that EDDC has put the building up for sale would it? No, just a coincidence.

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East Devon Watch

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13 Jul 2015

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Exmouth, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation

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Exmouth slipway work postponed “because of mating birds”

Anyone find this story a bit odd? Did no-one realise that birds mate? And how come concern for mating birds in Exmouth and no concern for Horshoe Bats at Knowle?

And when the over-wintering birds have gone north, surely they are replaced by the over-summer birds from the south – and north!

You can tell that the owl is no ornithologist.

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Work-1m-slipway-Exmouth-postponed-avoid-upsetting/story-26891834-detail/story.html

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

13 Jul 2015

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Planning System

When roof extensions go bad

Londoners are to be given automatic planning permission to add roof extensions to their properties as long as other properties in the area have done so:

Source:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2418937/Lofty-conversion-Tycoon-ordered-pull-villas-built-poles-roof-factory-China.html

And this is what happens when it goes REALLY bad (yes, there is an apartment there):

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

13 Jul 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, Planning System, Rural communities

Scrapping planning laws doesn’t speed up house building

…”Planning experts say that countries with zonal systems usually have quite tight constraints on, for example, the design and quality of what can be built on them; abolishing the need for planning permission, without putting something of the sort in place, risks merely constructing tomorrows slums. And more than a few brownfield sites are important for wildlife: two evocatively named species – the Streaked Bombadier Beetle and the Distinguished Jumping Spider – entirely depend on them. Ending the need for planning permission puts it at greater risk.” …

…”Big housing estates may be waved through by central government without locals having a say – something the coalition considered but then dropped as inconsistent with ‘localism’ – under plans to legislate to allow “major infrastructure projects with an element of housing” to be determined in Whitehall. And though the document proposes speeding up implementing or amending local plans, it looks as if councils without them (about half the total) will remain at the mercy of speculative builders wishing to put developments wherever they like.” …

…”Above all, however, the government assumes too easily that freeing up planning will get more houses built and that building more houses will necessarily bring down prices. Housebuilders often sit on land, while its value goes up, instead of developing it: at present they are holding enough land, with planning permission, for 400,000 homes, enough – even if built in a traditional terrace – to reach from London to Rome.

They also naturally prefer to build expensive homes than cheap ones and may well restrict supply to keep prices up. And supply and demand works differently in housing than many other markets; the relatively wealthy often buy second and third homes as investments or to rent, pricing out those who most need them.

So despite some improvements in today’s document, the Government still has a way to go in working out how really to tackle Britain’s scandalous housing crisis.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/11732373/Despite-some-positive-signs-the-Government-still-has-some-way-to-go-to-tackle-our-housing-crisis.html

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

13 Jul 2015

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AONB, Local Plan, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Developers eye Sidmouth AONB

According to Sidmouth Herald story on their Twitter feed:

Bloor Homes has made a last-ditch bid to see its vision to transform 16 acres of farmland – outside of the town’s A3052 ‘boundary’ – included in a blueprint for the future of East Devon.

The firm has urged a government inspector to include three fields, situated between Sidmouth Garden Centre and Core Hill Road, in the latest draft of the district council’s Local Plan.

And in a separate move, Persimmon has called for its plot west of Woolbrook Road – which could accommodate more than 100 houses and a public transport hub – to be incorporated as well.

A concept layout of the Bloor Homes site submitted to East Devon District Council (EDDC) shows provision for around 100 dwellings – as well as allotments, an orchard and a play area.

The developer has argued that EDDC’s current growth target of 150 homes for Sidmouth over the next 16 years is insufficient to meet the town’s needs.

Consultants acting for the firm say that housing on their site would ‘contribute towards the delivery of much-needed housing for Sidmouth’.

They say failing to provide the right type and quantity of new homes could lead to an ‘imbalanced community’ if young people are forced to look outside of the town for somewhere to live.

The land in question neighbours Sidmouth Garden Centre, but owner of the business Ian Barlow – who has previously championed the idea of an eco-friendly business park on the plot – said the proposed housing scheme was nothing to do with him as he does not own the site.

Mr Barlow said: “I have disagreed, and still disagree with building homes on that side of the road. I think the A3052 would have been a nice boundary to defend the AONB.

“There are other sites in the town that would be much more suitable.”

The submission by Bloor Homes will be considered by planning inspector Anthony Thickett.

http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/developer_targets_16_acres_of_aonb_1_4145733?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

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