Cynics amongst East Devon Watch’s readers (the majority one might suspect) are already considering aspects of yesterday’s refusal of planning permission for the Knowle site.

Of course, there is the prospect of an appeal. But there are also other scenarios being mentioned.

Some suggest that this refusal suits both PegasusLife and East Devon District Council – the former so that it can tweak its application in the light of the current economic climate and resubmit and the latter because a delay in building the new Honiton HQ might be in the council’s own interests, given the same current economic climate and the need to almost certainly raise more money due to increased costs. Also there have been some misgivings expressed by Tory councillors on the design of the new building (which does look rather like a people warehouse) and considered hardly befitting the status and importance of the people warehoused within it:

Others suggest that, as “Greater Exeter” moves ever more quickly (and secretly) forward it might be better for EDDC to cut its losses on a new Honiton HQ which would only be a satellite amongst satellites and therefore not needed to be so large (or maybe not needed at all if the Exmouth premises are large enough). Not to mention the messy complications of devolution and its effect on all district councils in Devon.

Others have even suggested that EDDC has had a better offer from a hotel chain which shall be nameless!

Whatever the reason, we can be absolutely sure that, like the Terminator, it will be back!