Daily Archives: 17 Aug 2015
Whose “bright idea” was it to have too little office space in Cranbrook? Whose even “brighter” idea was it to convert a new 3 bed house to get some?
Cabinet, 12th Aug 15, 5.30pm)
Click to access combined-final-agenda-120815.pdf
p.53 “planning permission would be required to change the use of a house to some form of office accommodation”
They are referring to a planning application to turn a newly-built 3 storey town house with no disabled access to upper floors into office space for which EDDC is prepared to pay out £25,000 for capital costs and £30K for revenue costs.
It appears that the very little amount of space available above the Younghayes Community Centre is already spoken for and the conversion of this house is EDDC’s answer to the underprovision:
http://www.exeterandeastdevon.gov.uk/retail-space-at-cranbrook/
With Cranbrook set to double, triple, quadruple or quintuple expand over the next few years, one wonders whether developers care about office provision.
Does it provide less profit than housing, perhaps? Why has the Local Plan not made adequate provision? Is this the first of many houses to be converted? Will any of this space be suitable for disabled access? Or was everyone expected to work at Skypark!
Another omnishambles.
The shape of things to come?
New York today, East Devon tomorrow?
Londoners have already been given permission to build extra storeys on their homes.
And here’s a suggestion: build affordable housing on top of EDDC’s new Honiton HQ! Money where mouths are or mouths where money is!
Secrets of The Owl
August, silly season, politicians living it up on holiday, not much news unless you have a view on Jeremy Corbyn or Donald Trump, so here is some light reading about the owl:
“Owls use ‘stealth technology’ to help capture prey –
Study reveals that owls’ flight feathers absorb aerodynamic sound and suppress vibrations, allowing them to swoop on their quarry in perfect silence.”
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/17/owls-use-stealth-technology-to-help-capture-prey
Couldn’t have put it better myself: Owl
East Devon Watch 