Excerpt below from Swire’s Twitter feed.
Disingenuous Mr Swire (Owl refuses to call him Sir when he got his knighthood for being Cameron’s bottom pinchee):
– very disingenuous. Hypocritical and frankly rather stupid – it smacks of sour grapes.
Category Archives: EDDC
The very interesting back story to those painted Sidmouth cliffs …
Owl shares some of the elephant’s characteristics – never forgetting being one of them.
Recently a story appeared in the local press about Sidmouth cliffs being painted a strange colour after stabilising work. Oddly, although this was done by the previous Tory-controlled administration, this was not mentioned in the article – leading to the assumption that it had been made by the new no-overall-control council (or Independent Group and Tory coalition – take your pick). Owl found it odd that this old information had only now been reported to the press.
When Owl saw the name of the geologist who seemed to have broken the story, Dr Alistair Bruce, the name rang a bell. Trawling through its vast archive, it turned up the information that Dr Bruce is none other than the defeated Tory candidate for Yarty ward in the local election last month.
Dr Bruce was chosen instead of long-serving former Leader Paul Diviani – who vented his wrath in a letter to former constituents calling his removal “a [Tory Party] vendetta:
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2019/05/07/diviani-blames-tory-vendetta-for-de-selection-in-yarty/
Diviani was then relegated to finding another vacancy and chose Broadclyst – which he lost. The successful candidate for Yarty was East Devon Alliance Councillor Paul Hayward.
Owl is happy to be putting the record somewhat straighter with this information that has always in the public domain, though the last word has to go to The Daily Telegraph, with its suggestion for a new posh paint manufacturer Farrow and Ball colour – Sidmouth Cliffs Red:
Why is Exmouth Regeneration Board chaired by a Cranbrook councillor?
Exmouth Regeneration Board
Membership
Councillor Megan Armstrong (Vice-Chairman [Exmouth Halsdon]
Councillor Kevin Blakey (Chairman, Cranbrook)
Councillor Susie Bond [Feniton]
Councillor Nick Hookway [Exmouth Littleham]
Councillor Chris Wright [Exmouth Littleham]
https://democracy.eastdevon.gov.uk//mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?
EDDC Development Management Committee agrees industrial expansion in Woodbury AONB
“Details of industrial business expansion plan for Woodbury Common site agreed.
he first phase of expansion plans for an industrial business at the former Blackhill Quarry in Woodbury Common has been approved.
Last year, East Devon District Council’s development management committee gave the go-ahead for outline plans for 35,000 sq ft of additional industrial floor space at the quarry, operated by Blackhill Engineering, in Woodbury.
Tuesday’s meeting saw the committee approve the details of the first of those buildings, which will become the first part of a four-building development for Blackhill Engineering Services.
The site lies in the open countryside, this part of which is designated as an AONB and lies adjacent to the Pebblebed Heaths SAC, where development should be strictly controlled.
Cllr Tom Wright proposed that the scheme be approved, saying that the buildings would be less intrusive than the cranes and the movements to and from the quarry beforehand.
He added: “We also have to take into account the CDE management of the pebblebed heaths and no other organisation is more committed to retaining the high quality wildlife.” …
Cllr Olly Davey said that the ecological measures go some way to mitigating the effect of this, but said it was such an incongruous place for such a development to actually be taking place and that it was unfortunate it is here.
Cllr Nick Hookway added that he also had a real problem with the application. He said: “I understand the need for jobs but I am at a loss as to how the outline permission was passed by the previous DMC as this doesn’t seem to fit in at all here.
But Cllr Wright said that Blackhill have been there for decades and there are time limits of when they can operate.
Councillors voted by nine votes to two, with two abstentions, to approve the scheme.
Outline permission was granted last year despite calls for the former quarry land to be returned to heathland.
Concerns had been raised by parish and district councillors in Woodbury and the Otter Valley Association about the continued industrial use of a site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Outline permission was granted last year despite calls for the former quarry land to be returned to heathland.
Concerns had been raised by parish and district councillors in Woodbury and the Otter Valley Association about the continued industrial use of a site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/details-industrial-business-expansion-plan-2970387
(Former) EDDC accused of “corporate vandalism” – paint cliffs wrong shade of red!
“Sightseers and geologists have slammed a council for painting historic sandstone cliffs in a “weird” red.
Sidmouth rocks are a famous feature of the Devon coast, noted for their natural earthy colouring.
But the decision to paint a section in the “wrong red” during recent stabilisation work has left experts and tourists bemused.
A councillor said reinforcing concrete had been dyed to “help it blend in with the surrounding stone”.
During the works, completed at the end of April, large bolts set in concrete were installed into the cliff to stabilise a large piece of rock.
The work was completed at the end of April.
Geologist Dr Alasdair Bruce said he could only describe East Devon District Council’s effort as “corporate vandalism”.
“They have sprayed most of the cliff. It’s almost like an Eric Sykes film,” he said.
“I’ve seen councils do some strange things with cliffs but this clanger really is at the top of the pile.”
The cliffs at Sidmouth are thought to date back about 220 million years to the Triassic period, which came before the Jurassic period.
Bill Shaw, a metal sculptor from Bideford on holiday with his wife, Peach, said: “It’s a bit weird. It just looks fake.
“It’s the wrong red as well, it should be more of a terracotta colour or would be better just left as it was.”
Geoff Jung, the council’s portfolio holder for the environment, said: “The concrete was dyed to help it blend in with the surrounding stone as opposed to leaving it as a plain concrete finish.”
He said the stabilisation work allowed the council to keep the walkway under the cliffs open and the public safe.”
First test of Tiggers planning stance: a fudge on Newton Poppleford
No decision on Clinton Devon’s desire to replace GP surgery with 2 houses at Newton Poppleford – deferred for 3 months to “find a solution”.
One house and half a surgery, perhaps?
Not a good start.
” Taxpayers ‘funding the outsourcing sector’ “
“A union has claimed taxpayers are propping up the outsourcing industry as local authorities spent £20bn on contracts in the last three years.
The GMB union said that local authorities should be focusing on services “not lining the pockets of private companies”.
Research conducted by Tussell – a data provider on UK government contracts – found that between 2016 and 2018 local authorities spent £20bn on outsourced contracts.
Of these Transport for London was the biggest outsourcer of services by value, with 253 contracts costing an estimated £2.3bn over the three years.
Harrow Council, the Metropolitan police, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and North Lanarkshire Council make up the rest of the top five outsourcers.
GMB found that Veolia was the top supplier of services with contracts worth £1.4bn, followed by IBM, Pennon Group, Amey and Amazon.
The most commonly outsourced service was facilities management on which £5.3bn was spent, followed by waste management, business and IT services.
Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary, said: “If we’ve learnt anything form the collapse of Carillion – it’s that outsourcing doesn’t work.
“At a time when local authority funding is already cut to the bone, this out of control outsourcing places even more risks and burdens on budgets and workers.
“Taxpayers’ cash shouldn’t be propping up an outsourcing industry descending into chaos as companies underbid each other for contracts in a race to the bottom, which will see a serious decline in public services.”
https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2019/06/taxpayers-funding-outsourcing-sector
Sidford Business Park: latest from campaigners and public inquiry details
“Documents submitted to the Planning Inspector by 17 local residents, this Campaign and Sidford Ward District Councillors Marianne Rixson and Dawn Manley have now been uploaded to the District Council’s planning portal.
Those of you who read the Sidmouth Herald will also have noted its two-page reporting this week on the submissions.
In order to allow you to quickly access the submissions we set out below the clinks to the various documents –
The planning portal page which allows you to click on each of the latest documents that have been submitted is here –
https://planningapps.eastdevon.gov.uk/Planning/lg/dialog.page?Param=lg.Planning&org.apache.shale.dialog.DIALOG_NAME=gfplanningsearch&SDescription=18/1094/MOUT&viewdocs=true
These two links take you to the two sets of documents that this Campaign has submitted. In addition to various letters from Sidbury Primary school and local residents, there are photographs, links to various traffic videos and you can also read the two consultants reports that we commissioned –
Click to access obj.pdf;jsessionid=289A6B113EB8BADEB476C20911E3A5DB
Click to access obj.pdf;jsessionid=289A6B113EB8BADEB476C20911E3A5DB
The detailed submission submitted by Sidford Ward District Councillors Marianne Rixson and Dawn Manley can be viewed via this link –
Click to access obj.pdf;jsessionid=74B5DE4639EC037FD1BD2ABDE4C0EF69
When you open any of these links you may find it is slow in downloading, so you may have to be patient!
You should by now be aware that the Planning Inspector, Luke Fleming, will open the Inquiry on 16 July and he has allowed up to three days for it. The inquiry will be held in the District Council’s new offices in Honiton – Blackdown House, Border Road, Heathpark Industrial Estate Honiton EX14 1EJ.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the Inquiry, and we anticipate that we will be encouraging all those who oppose the proposed Business Park to show their opposition to it prior to the Inquiry opening on 16 July. We will let you have further details about this nearer the time.
We would also encourage members of the public to speak at the Inquiry as you are entitled to do. In order to obtain speaking rights, you just advise the Inspector at the start of the Inquiry. This Campaign will be speaking at it.
Best wishes
Campaign Team”
And Clinton Devon’s Blackhill quarry plans at Woodbury go for decision …
Oh dear, another development test …
“Applicant Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) is seeking reserved matters planning permission to build a 929m2 building with 11 car parking spaces at the former Blackhill Quarry in Woodbury Common.
The building is set to become the first part of a four-building development for Blackhill Engineering Services.
Landowner CDE has previously-approved outline planning permission for four industrial buildings and this latest development would be the first phase of the application.
The proposal is set to be discussed at East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) development management committee on Tuesday (June 11) and planning officers have recommended approval.
The officer’s report said: “The proposed building would be the first in a phased development of the site, it would be of a suitable scale taking into account the limitations imposed at the outline stage in terms of height and a building finished in green cladding under a dark grey roof would assimilate well into its surroundings.
“The layout of the site responds well to its constraints and is clearly part of a planned phased development.”
Outline permission was granted last year despite calls for the former quarry land to be returned to heathland.
Concerns have been raised by parish and district councillors in Woodbury and the Otter Valley Association about the continued industrial use of a site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
This latest plan has had one comment of support which said the area was already ‘degraded’ and was ‘not worth trying to save’.
In its design and access statement, CDE said it will retain existing trees and hedges which would provide more than 7,000 square metres of habitat for various mammals and reptiles. A redundant concrete tank will be converted into a bat refuge.
A further three units are expected to be built in the former quarry and CDE anticipates submitting reserved matters applications for those in the next four years.
EDDC will make the final decision on the reserved matters application.”
https://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/blackhill-engineering-plans-for-woodbury-common-1-6093931
Mr and Mrs House (nee Carter) want to extend business centre parking to agricultural land …
More Carter family land conversion … ending up with more than 200 parking spaces … really someone needs to stop this sort of thing … TiggerTories to the rescue? Of whom?
Maybe the business centre should move …
“If given the go-ahead, the proposal would provide an additional 59 spaces for users of the nearby Woodbury Business Park.
The site, on the corner of Castle Lane and Rydon Lane, has currently been left ‘fallow’ for the last two years and is ‘sporadically’ used as an overflow car park when needed.
Woodbury Business Park currently has 166 spaces, with 121 of those allocated to tenants.
In the planning support statement, Bell Cornwell, on behalf of applicant GB House and Son, said additional parking at Woodbury Park has become ‘a necessity’.
It said: “Each tenant has a number of allocated parking spaces, with the remainder of their employees having to park in the unallocated visitor parking area.
“This causes problems with visitors to the site not being able to park.”
East Devon District Council will make the final decision.”
https://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/woodbury-overspill-car-park-plans-1-6094087
Government to allow Community Infrastructure Levy to fund big projects
Oooh … just in time for Cranbrook’s latest expansion plans! AND when councils all over the country are declaring a climate emergency and trying to avoid unsustainable projects. Catch 22 there for TiggerTories!
Or perhaps it will go to a new National Park – lol.
“Councils will be required to report on the agreements reached with housing developers to pay for infrastructure, under new rules laid in Parliament this week.
Housing Minister Kit Malthouse claimed that “confusing and unnecessarily over-complicated” rules were being simplified, so that communities would know exactly how much developers were paying for infrastructure in their area.
Councils will have to set out how the money will be spent “enabling residents to see every step taken to secure their area is ready for new housing”.
The Government also claimed that the changes would make it faster for councils to introduce the Community Infrastructure Levy in the first place.
Restrictions are to be eased to allow councils to fund single, larger infrastructure projects from the cash received from multiple developments, “giving greater freedom to deliver complex projects at pace”, it added.
The Minister of State said: “Communities deserve to know whether their council is fighting their corner with developers – getting more cash to local services so they can cope with the new homes built.
“The reforms not only ensure developers and councils don’t shirk their responsibilities, allowing residents to hold them to account – but also free up councillors to fund bigger and more complicated projects over the line.
“The certainty and less needless complexity will lead to quicker decisions.”
The regulations will be debated once parliamentary time allows.
The Government has also published its response to the views received in its technical consultation on developer contributions reform.”
Parish and town councils raising bills at a higher rate than larger authorities
“Villagers paying council tax are seeing their parish bills rise at a higher rate than the share they pay to larger authorities.
BBC News analysed the bills of more than 8,500 town and parish councils from 2013-14 to 2016-17.
Parish councillors say they are being asked to take on more responsibilities as their larger local authority counterparts make cuts.
The government said it expected parish councils to “demonstrate restraint”. …
BBC England’s data unit and BBC Newcastle found:
The total amount of tax collected by parish councils rose from £361m to £434m from 2013-14 to 2016-17
That saw the average bill rise from £50 to £57, a rise of 14%
Some parish councils have raised their share of the bill by far larger amounts
Parts of Kettering, West Berkshire, Peterborough, Rutland, Pendle, Harborough, Cornwall and Copeland saw the largest increases
Some 318 parish and town authorities out of 8,583 issued levies in 2016-17 that were at least double the amount they charged in 2013-14
Larger authorities are obliged to hold a referendum for any increases above 2%, although those responsible for adult social care are now allowed to increase bills by a further 3% for this purpose only.
Parish councils, which generally represent people with populations of less than 2,500, are not subject to the same cap. …”
Lib Dems and Indies unite against Tories – in Torbay, not East Devon
Here in East Devon it seems the larger group of Independents is working with Tories and very recently ex-Tories (called TiggerTories by Owl), leaving the smaller Lib Dem and East Devon Alliance Independents groups out in the cold. Not what most non-Tory voters were expecting. … or wanting.
“The new political leadership of Torbay Council has announced plans to invest £100m in the local economy.
The authority’s Liberal Democrat leader Steve Darling revealed the initiative to drive economic growth in a video posted on social media.
He said they had told council officers to develop business plans for £100m worth of investments.
The strategy was a key election pledge by the Liberal Democrats, who saw a big rise in support at the election in May.
The party’s councillors have joined with the Independents in a formal alliance to take control of the authority, leaving the Tories in opposition. …”
https://www.devonlive.com/news/new-council-leaders-announce-100m-2949176
Cities (with highest wages) too expensive for young people to buy homes in
So, what happens when the towns and villages you do come from are just as expensive as Bristol (with wages in Exeter lower than those in Exeter)?
Well, in East Devon, you are mostly funnelled into Cranbrook – as that is where most so-called “Help to Buy” new homes are being built.
The national article uses an example of someone moving from East Devon to Bristol.
“More young people are getting stuck where they grew up or went to university because they cannot afford rents in places where they can earn more money, according to the Resolution Foundation thinktank. It found the number of people aged 25 to 34 starting a new job and moving home in the last year had fallen 40% over the last two decades. …
In 1997, moving from east Devon to Bristol increased median incomes by 19%, but rising rents cut that increase to 1% in 2018. …
Landlords blamed the government for failing to sufficiently increase the supply of new homes. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) also criticised measures which appear to be encouraging landlords to sell up, including reduction in mortgage interest relief for landlords and an increase in stamp duty.
“The biggest threat to rent levels are the policies being pursued by the government which are choking off the supply of homes for private rent as demand is increasing,” said the RLA policy director, David Smith.
The findings came as the affordable housing commission released research found 43% of all renters were now facing affordability problems and that 5.5 million renters were unable to buy a home of their own.
The commission, which was established by the Smith Institute thinktank and chaired by the crossbench peer Richard Best, said that when rents or purchase costs exceeded a third of household income for those in work, it could lead to financial difficulties and these problems became critical where housing costs were 40% or more of household income.”
‘Say No to Sidford Business Park’ submission to planning inquiry
A picture is worth a thousand words. Words here:
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/objectors-outline-traffic-chaos-safety-2934450
Some of the pictures here:
Now Tories are not in control Swire decides Cranbrook is a development problem!
Today’s Midweek Herald. SO odd that Hugo has JUST discovered that Cranbrook development is a problem … still TiggerTories involved in planning will be glad to know he is NOW onside! Such a pity he wasn’t so vocal when Tories alone were in charge!
Developer says traffic increase at potential Sidford business park would be “insignificant”
Owl says: if so few vehicles would use the business park – why build it!
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/objectors-outline-traffic-chaos-safety-2934450
“Helsinki’s radical solution to homelessness”
“Finland is the only EU country where homelessness is falling. Its secret? Giving people homes as soon as they need them – unconditionally”
A new way of planning: are no-overall-control councillors up for it?
” Participation not Consultation:
At Civic Voice we are aware of the growth agenda and the need for more homes to be built. Our members understand this too, yet all over England many of these members, who are knowledgeable and positive people, have had to engage in fighting Local Plans and planning proposals that they feel passionately are not right for their places.
It is time to change the way things are done and to bring communities genuinely to the heart of planning and place-making. ‘Participation not Consultation’ is about bringing people in at an early stage to develop the proposals through collaborative planning processes, also known as Charrettes.
The Charrette approach involves community members working alongside local authorities and developers to co-create design-led, visual plans and strategies. It is an inspirational and energising activity where the results of collaboration are seen immediately, with the knowledge that an individual’s input actually matters. It also has the potential to greatly increase the speed of the formal planning and design process.
Civic Voice has launched a campaign to bring these collaborative processes into mainstream planning so that, through shared working from an early stage, communities can help shape and support growth and development that is right for their place.”
Cranbrook to get massively BIGGER – first planning test for no-overall-control council
The first test of The Independent Group on large-scale development. It got to make up the EDDC Cabinet and its Leader, Ben Ingham, has appointed several current and former Tories to positions of influence.
What will each group’s stand be on large-scale development? And what happens if the smaller parties have different views to that of the Independent Group and Tories if they agree? Interesting.
There are a few worrying words in this press release – potential, proposed, outlines, capable of, vision, could, opportunities. Lots of leeway for developet mund-changing at a later date.
And missing words: affordable and social housing.
Plus our local NHS Trust wants more than £1.3 million before it considers the proposal sustainable for health needs.
“Plans for 930 new homes as part of the western expansion of Cranbrook have been revealed.
The proposals for the Bluehayes site would also see a primary school, sport and recreational facilities, community uses, green infrastructure, as well as a mixed use area of shops, food and drink and professional services built.
The Bluehayes site, which lies between the existing Cranbrook development and Broadclyst Station, is one of four proposed expansion areas of Cranbrook.
A new link road that would run from the Cranbrook railway station to London Road and to Broadclyst Station, through the middle of the Bluehayes site, is also proposed in the scheme handed in recently to East Devon District Council planners.
And the plans also reveal that a footbridge over the London Road that would connect the Bluehayes site with the proposed Treasbeare site, south of the road, could be built.
The Cranbrook Plan was backed by East Devon District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee in February which outlines the land where a further 4,170 new homes will be built.
It allocates 40 hectares of land at the Bluehayes Expansion Area for around 960 new dwellings, land capable of accommodating a community building, formal open space recreational land, a 420 pupil place primary school, formal play space with facilities for children and youth and allotments totalling an area of 0.55 hectare of land
Details with a planning statement submitted with the planning application says: “The submission of the new outline application for the Western Expansion of Cranbrook and the change of use of agricultural land to the north of Cranny Brook to SANG land, is consistent with the planning policy and the longstanding policy to deliver new homes to meet the needs of the area.
“The submission of the application for the Western Expansion area and their progression delivers certainty required in the long term delivery of growth and of the delivery of the vision for Cranbrook.
“The proposals have been designed to be residential led with the potential for the delivery of a new primary school and formal outdoor sports pitches to provide complementary community and social infrastructure to meet the needs of new residents.
“The application demonstrates provision of the necessary infrastructure to include internal roads, public transport provision, formal and informal open space uses to support itself and to mitigate any impacts of development on existing communities and wider infrastructure.
“Cranbrook and its Western Expansion have been fully justified in the context of local planning policy and in the context of the growth agenda and the national and local need for housing.
“The proposals will result in substantial and demonstrable benefits in terms of meeting the need for new homes in a sustainable manner, fostering economic development and further underpinning the sustainability of Cranbrook.
“The proposals will also help deliver the vision for Cranbrook and underpin the planning and delivery of infrastructure and the town centre.”
A 1.14 hectare site for a one-form entry primary school could come forward as part of the plans. The primary school will be built in either the Bluehayes or the Treasbeare allocation, depending on which is constructed first.
Details with the scheme also outline that a new link road from the Cranbrook station to London Road and to Broadclyst Station will be built.
There will be a new frontage to London Road which will comprise a mixed use area, providing opportunities for a range of residential, retail and small scale employment uses, and in future, a crossing over London Road to the southern expansion area may be accommodated.
But the Royal and Devon Exeter NHS Foundation Trust have requested a contribution of £1,332,313 from the developers, cash which will be used directly to provide additional health care services to meet patient demand.
Commenting on the application, they say: “Without the contribution being paid, the development would not be acceptable in planning terms as the consequence would be inadequate health services available to support it.”
Having considered the cost projections, the Trust say that they will require the full figure to ensure the required level of service provision is delivered in a timely manner.
They add: “Failure to access this additional funding will put significant additional pressure on the current service capacity, leading to increase delays for patients and dissatisfaction with NHS services.
“The contribution will ensure that Health services are maintained for current and future generations and that way make the development sustainable.”
The Bluehayes expansion is one of four proposed expansion areas for Cranbrook, which development also proposed for Treasbeare and Grange, south of the existing town, and Cobdens, to the east of the town.
A reserved matters application has also been submitted for 80 homes, for which outline planning permission has already been granted, for land north-east of the Cranbrook Education Campus.
East Devon District Council planners will determine the fate of the applications at a later date.”
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/cranbrook-getting-bigger-930-new-2923726
East Devon Watch 