“… Some 82 per cent of councils have published local plans, but only 65 per cent have fully adopted them – and almost 20 per cent of councils still do not have an up-to-date plan at all, a figure that Downing Street considers to be unacceptable.
Mr Cameron has now put councils on watch – saying that unless they have plans in place by 2017, they will be imposed.”
….. “A consultation on the masterplan for the 2.8 hectare site last weekend was attended by almost 500 people.
Now, in an open letter, A K Alexander, the principal of Exmouth Community College, has attacked the university and its interim Vice Chancellor, Professor David Coslett, over the plans.
The WMN on Sunday asked the university to respond but neither its spokesman nor Prof Coslett was able to provide an answer.
The fate of Rolle:
An edited version of the open letter from A K Alexander
After seven years sitting empty, it would appear that things are now finally moving forward to define the future of Rolle College …. When it closed there was a loss of £5 million a year to Exmouth’s economy. But Exmouth and the area also lost an incredibly important higher education facility that brought a wonderful vibrancy to the town, whilst young people lost an opportunity to move into higher education locally.
So, I was appalled to learn that Professor David Coslett, Plymouth University Vice-Chancellor, in his speech at the consultation event, stated that it was acceptable to take pain in one area (Exmouth) if there were benefits elsewhere (Plymouth) and that there is greater value for the region overall in focusing on Plymouth.
On behalf of every student and every parent in Exmouth and East Devon, this is completely unacceptable. David Coslett also justified the delay in disposal on the economic downturn. The economic downturn has hit everyone and all public institutions hard. The fact that the site with gymnasium, meeting rooms, performance theatre and lecture theatre has remained unused and unavailable to the community for seven years in a time of economic strife is also unacceptable.
Plymouth University has used the argument of centralisation and yet its reach and footprint continues to grow in Cornwall …. What does David Coslett say in his welcome letter as Vice-Chancellor? – ‘a university that is easy to do business with; one that works alongside local communities and industry to create jobs, develop the economy, and raise the profile of the South West.’
I urge all young people and the community of Exmouth and beyond to have your say in the ongoing consultation process and join the debate on what Exmouth (not Plymouth University) needs on the site.
The online consultation is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ExmouthRolle
Plymouth University should see sense and reconsider its position; Exmouth must be given first option to purchase the site …. this should not be purely seen in narrow cash terms. David Coslett talks about ‘a legacy’. So let’s start talking about the right legacy for people in Exmouth and East Devon.
Plymouth University should work closely with the community and ensure there is true lasting legacy that creates jobs and improves the education and career opportunities. The intensive housing development of the site is a short-term financially driven quick fix.
We need a considered debate and discussion on how we can secure a longer term perspective and truly invest in people. The clock is ticking. I urge the Exmouth community to act now and resist the proposed plans for the site. We can do so much better.
Mr A K Alexander
Principal
Exmouth Community College”
Our Local Plan Inspector, Mr Anthony Thickett, was efficient and to-the-point when he held his two examinations into our draft Local Plan. He eventually decided that, such was our council’s poor drafting, he would have to make many of its major decisions himself. He asked for more information and got a further 1,000 plus pages of evidence (some of it duplicated) in September 2015. He also got a promotion to Chief Planning Inspector for Wales – more work for him.
Our Local Plan examination is now itself dragging on, and well on its way to mirroring how long the Current draft Local Plan took (at least 7 years). The inspection process started way before in August 2013, when Mr Thickett threw out the first draft submitted by EDDC because Mr Thickett decided it contained 53 major amendments agreed by councillors on the Development Management Committee and Cabinet and ratified by full council AFTER public consultation that then required the public to be consulted yet again.
It was thrown out again in March 2014 for still having major flaws and being considered unsound by Mr Thickett. The 2015 hearing was also inconclusive.
Is it going to be thrown out again? Is it so controversial it will be a major headliner? Is it lost down the back of a sofa?
EDDC appears to be in no hurry to see it arrive. Developers continue to benefit from its unavailability. What’s the problem?
We appreciate that Mr Thickett is a very busy man (not least because of all the extra work EDDC has forced him to do) but surely this sorry saga has to end somehow and somewhere – even if it is (heaven forfend) back to its on-its-last-legs drawing board.
And, if it were to fail again, would this constitute misfeasance or malfeasance in office on the part of officers and councillors involved – a criminal offence?
East Devon Watch 