“…the chainsaws were not the work of one man. The whole administration stands discredited ahead of May’s local elections. Even the two local Conservative MPs, Johnny Mercer and Sir Gary Streeter, believe that Labour should now take over the council………. The infighting and incompetence of local Tories lie behind this declaration of no confidence.”
The Guardian editorial on Plymouth’s lost trees: an act of vandalism
The decision taken by Plymouth’s Tory council leader, Richard Bingley, to chop down more than 100 mature trees under cover of darkness earlier this month was damaging to the city as well as the horse chestnut, silver birch, pear, apple and other specimens that were removed. Armada Way, the pedestrianised boulevard that runs south through the city centre to the sea, is a rare postwar conservation area and ought to be a national showpiece. Instead, ugly images of debris strewn among the modern architecture have upset and angered local people and conservationists. They may also set back efforts to boost the city by attracting tourists.
The upset and anger are more than justified by events. A consultation regarding the proposed regeneration of the city centre showed that a majority of locals do not support it. A campaign group, Save the Trees of Armada Way (Straw), gathered a petition of more than 16,000 names. Yet the council ploughed on until it was served with a court injunction by campaigners. On Monday, Mr Bingley resigned, ahead of a council meeting.
But the chainsaws were not the work of one man. The whole administration stands discredited ahead of May’s local elections. Even the two local Conservative MPs, Johnny Mercer and Sir Gary Streeter, believe that Labour should now take over the council (so far Labour’s Tudor Evans has resisted this, saying that the decision should be made at the ballot box). The infighting and incompetence of local Tories lie behind this declaration of no confidence. Last year, one former councillor, David Downie, said that he was “very concerned” about the Conservative cabinet’s lack of experience. Mr Bingley is on record as having said that people shouldn’t “worry too much about climate change”.
Such cavalier attitudes are outdated. It is a sign of progress that so many people now recognise the importance of trees, not only as attractive local features but as wildlife habitats with a role in sequestering carbon and keeping streets cool. Developments for new housing or other infrastructure should work around them. Promises to plant new trees are no substitute for looking after those that already exist. Where developers present plans that are harmful to nature, councils must push back and demand alternatives.
In its dismissal of local people’s feedback, this council showed itself to be as high-handed with voters as with the environment. Just as happened in Sheffield, where a Labour council destroyed public trust through its handling of protests over the removal of street trees, Plymouth’s leaders adopted a bunker mentality. Spending £12.7m of levelling up funds within the allotted timeframe was what mattered. They believed their plan to be a good one, and that was that.
Except it wasn’t, and their poor stewardship of precious local assets has been shown up. Clearly there are lessons here for Plymouth, where control of the council has switched between Labour and the Tories, and previous regeneration projects have produced good results. But there are wider lessons too. Cambridgeshire county council, which is run by a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition, has just approved plans to cut down an orchard to make way for a road. In too many areas, and in local parties of different stripes, politicians’ actions are failing to live up to their climate pledges. Development that takes us further away from our climate and biodiversity goals should no longer be called by that misleading name.
Revised plans for the controversial redevelopment of the Knowle in Sidmouth have been submitted. McCarthy Stone’s proposals, for the former HQ of East Devon District Council, consist of a purpose-built care home, as well as extra care and retirement living accommodation.
Plans in 2018 were previously given the go-ahead to turn the premises at the Knowle into a purpose-built care home, retirement living apartments and affordable housing. Property developer LifeStory though ‘reviewed the consented development’ before selling the site to McCarthy Stone.
The new owners have now formally submitted a revised planning application for the site. But unlike the first scheme, there is no affordable housing included in the fresh plans. The plans do include four semi-detached houses, three townhouses and two chalet bungalows.
A statement with the planning application says: “The new approach has enabled a more efficient use of layout, building form and mix of accommodation to meet a greater need and variety of care. The development remains care and older person’s accommodation needs led but includes a greater mix of accommodation including a small proportion that may not necessarily be aimed at the older generation.
“The proposal provides the opportunity to achieve a high quality development that would positively contribute to meeting demonstrable local housing needs. This scheme provides numerous wide ranging social and planning benefits, both for potential residents and the community as a whole.”
CGI artist impressions of the redevelopment of the Knowle in Sidmouth
On the loss of affordable housing, the statement says: “The extant appeal scheme for the assisted living community includes no affordable housing provision or Community Infrastructure Levy. The proposed scheme subject of the application does include a greater mix of older persons accommodation and open market housing.
“The Care Home and Extra Care elements of the scheme do not attract a need for affordable housing contribution. The Retirement Living element of the scheme and open market residential (42units) would need to be considered in the context of the affordable housing policy and vacant building credit which is also intrinsically linked to viability.
“The Knowle site is a classic situation where incentives are needed to get a scheme off the ground which have otherwise stalled to date and has the effect of reducing the actual level of affordable housing required, subject to viability considerations.
“With specialist private retirement housing, however, it is acknowledged that significant logistical and servicing issues arise from trying to mix different types and forms of housing alongside each other. The Local Plan identifies that the main thrust for affordable housing should be aimed at the young starter end of the market, however the site constraints do not lend to the efficient development of affordable housing on site other than that indicated within the viability considerations.
“McCarthy and Stone assert that the provision of onsite affordable housing units on a site such as this, within specialised housing for the elderly is both problematic and unviable and that an off-site contribution would be more suitable if viability considerations permit.
“When mixing low cost / heavily subsidised sheltered housing with open market retirement housing, one must bear in mind the significant use of the shared communal facilities within private retirement housing. The level of services provided to the residents of private retirement housing result in the level of service charge being a significantly larger proportion of total living costs than would apply to other forms of accommodation.
“It would be very difficult to set the service charge at a level that would cover the costs of the type of management that private purchasers expect, yet still be affordable to residents of affordable housing. It would also be difficult for the affordable housing provider to guarantee payment of a service charge in perpetuity that would be liable to change on an annual basis.
“Another consequence of trying to mix private retirement housing with low cost/ subsidised housing would be the significant potential for friction and animosity between those residents who pay a significant annual service charge for premium services and those who would occupy low cost or heavily subsidised apartments, but have use of the same services.
“It is not unreasonable to assume that some residents would resent the fact that their neighbours are enjoying the same level of services for a fraction of the cost, or that they may perceive themselves to be subsidising others. This situation would only serve to exacerbate management problems and disputes between neighbours and would ultimately undermine the success of the housing development.
“In Sidmouth as in many similar places, the need for affordable housing is identified in smaller starter family homes and young workers.”
CGI artist impressions of the redevelopment of the Knowle in Sidmouth
Shane Paull, Divisional Managing Director at McCarthy Stone Southern Division said: “Our proposals for Sidmouth have been shaped by public feedback, and we have provided residents with the opportunity to provide us with their views since we initially acquired an interest in the site last year.
“Our plans represent a sensitive, well-designed development that will help improve accommodation choice for older people in the local area and will help to address a local demand for retirement accommodation, providing housing choice for older people, whilst freeing up the wider housing market for local families and first-time buyers further down the chain.”
Changes to the masterplan include:
· Additional parking has been included within the centre of the site, that will be naturally screened by new tree planting.
· The provision of four houses on the north-western part of the Plateau
· The number of affordable apartments has been reduced from 21 to 17. This has also enabled the affordable apartment block to be relocated from the northeast part of the Plateau to the north-west, that is stepped away from neighbouring properties
· The reduction in the level of Retirement Living PLUS apartments, from 59 to 53
· Additional tree planting to provide an extension to the Arboretum, that provides a green corridor stepping down to the south part of the Plateau site.
· The provision of two houses along the southern grass verge of the Plateau.
The plans now include:
· In northern part of the site that currently comprises of a car park, to be developed by Porthaven, to provide a 68-bedroom care home
· A high-quality Retirement Living and Retirement Living PLUS (Extra Care) development to be developed by McCarthy Stone on The Plateau part of the site, featuring up to 27 one-and two-bedroom Retirement Living apartments as well as up to 53 one- and two- bedroom Retirement Living PLUS (Extra Care) apartments for private sale, part-rent part-buy and rental options
· The Plateau part of the site to also include up to 17 one-and two-bedroom affordable open market housing apartments, as well as four houses, in compliance with local authority guidance
· Tailored shared facilities within both the Retirement Living developments, including a communal lounge with a kitchenette and a hotel-style guest suite as well as an onsite bistro restaurant within the Retirement Living PLUS development.
· Principal vehicle access from Station Road, with secondary access from Knowle Drive for the use of emergency and refuse vehicles only.
· Sufficient levels of car parking onsite, including disabled and electric vehicle charging bays, in accordance with East Devon District Council’s standards, as well as an overflow parking area to the southwest of The Plateau part of the site, that will be accessed from Station Road.
East Devon District Council planners will determine the fate of the application at a later date
East Devon District Council recently announced the warm spaces will remain as community centres after more than 200 people sought the support of the 10 hubs over the winter.
It has not been confirmed if the warm spaces’ service will be repeated during winter 2023.
Residents in East Devon will continue to be able to use community hubs after they proved a hit over the winter, writes local democracy reporter Rob Kershaw.
Late last year, East Devon District Council (EDDC) opened up hubs, or ‘warm spaces’, as a way to keep residents in touch with each other and avoid loneliness, while also providing warm meals and a heated communal space.
People can also receive advice about their bills and learn about benefits to which they may be entitled.
Some 221 people, aged eight months to 96-years-old, have used the 10 hubs across the district in the last four months.
This was more than council officers were expecting, so the hubs will now be kept open as community centres. While it is unconfirmed, they could still be in use next winter.
The council said the hubs, which will be volunteer-led going forward, will cost less than a thousand pounds per month including staff.
“The warm hubs cost around a total of £1,300 per month which includes all the supplies and activities,” said an EDDC spokesperson. “Moving forward, we are looking to adopt a new operating model and the costs during the summer will be circa £800 per month.”
At a recent poverty panel meeting, Independent Councillor Dan Ledger, who represents Seaton, described the centres as a ‘huge success’.
And Independent Cllr Marianne Rixson, said: “I think this has been a fantastic project and obviously it’s filled a gap which we didn’t know was there.
“It’s also, I think, helping people with their mental health because loneliness is a terrible thing. I imagine that this is helping to form new friendships which could be long-term as well.
“And so, all in all, I think this is just fantastic and I’m really pleased that it’s going to continue.”
A Devon MP is to write to the boss of Barclays after the bank announced it will close its branches in Tiverton and Honiton.
They will serve customers for the final time on Friday 23 June, meaning people could have to travel to Exeter or Taunton to access do their banking with the firm.
Justifying its decision, Barclays says when it opened both branches, “visiting us in person was one of the only ways to do your banking.
“Now, as there are lots of ways to manage your money without even leaving your home, we’re seeing many customers choosing to bank using our app, and online or telephone banking.
“This has had a big impact on the number of customers coming in to see us.”
However, Richard Foord (Lib Dem) says the decision is “very disappointing,” adding: “This is a huge blow, not just for many of those living in the towns, but also those in the surrounding area who rely on being able to access these services locally.
“This is just the latest in a swathe of bank closures which risk leaving our communities as banking deserts, devoid of any local branches, and leaving people having to travel all the way to Exeter or Taunton to access vital banking facilities.
“I will be writing to Barclays’ CEO to raise these concerns and demand answers on why this is happening now, especially since Barclays is making huge profits, raking in more than £2.5 billion last year.”
In notices to its Tiverton and Honiton customers, the bank said: “We’ll be working with the local community to understand the impact of closing this branch.”
It added: “We’ll stay in your community and you’ll be able to talk to us in person. We’re finalising the details of where we’ll be based, and when, to support you with your banking, and we‘ll share the details locally once confirmed.”
Barclays’ announcement comes after HSBC also said it would also be closing its Honiton branch this summer, while nearby Axminster lost its last remaining bank in November.
It led Mr Foord to call for more banking hubs, which allow customers from different banks to deposit and withdraw money.
Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate earlier this month, he claimed people increasingly have less access to their own money because of the closures.
Mr Foord asked economic secretary to the treasury Andrew Griffith (Conservative) when Axminster will be getting a banking hub. Talks have been ongoing, but one has yet to materialise.
In response, Mr Griffith said: “There are 70 cash hubs on their way. Members throughout the House [of Commons], including a number of [Mr Foord’s] colleagues in Devon, have procured them.
“It sometimes takes a little while for them to appear because of planning issues or the need to get the right power arrangements and safe access in place for constituents.”
The government minister added that access to cash and the ability to deposit it will be protected by law.
East Devon Watch 