The quote from Cllr Susie Bond comes from this post on her blog: https://susiebond.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/local-plan-update-well-sort-of/
But strangely no mention of the Local Plan (nor of the precise costs of EDDC’s planned move from Knowle ) from Cllr Bond’s colleagues representing Sidmouth, in their current leaflet to residents (mentioned on our website yesterday) . EDWatchers can view the leaflet’s two pages here: In Touch Feb 2015 and here In Touch East Devon residents’ survey. Feb 2015
Two thorough articles in today’s Midweek Herald, on some burning East Devon issues, in case readers missed them in our earlier posts:
Some suggestions here, from the new lively publication, Devonshire Magazine:
…East Devon Alliance (EDA) certainly believes this, as do the new network of Independent candidates supported by them.
And the same theme is in this message today from the Organiser of the Save Clyst St Mary Campaign:
‘I have been asked to point out that the Neighbourhood Plan meeting on 12th February is only for the original Planning Committee in this instance. There will, however, be another opportunity to view and comment on the Plan in early March. I apologise for any confusion this may have caused.
Due to the anticipated number of people who want to see Hugo Swire on the 19th February at 6.30, we have now been able to secure the Village Hall ( note the change of venue) . Please do come and ask our MP, who is responding in response to the invitation we sent, about any issues and questions you may have regarding planning in his Constituency.
Finally, thank you once again for your contributions towards paying for Charlie Hopkin’s reports. Do keep visiting the EDDC ‘s Planning website. The recent contribution for English Heritage is particularly interesting.
I know I seem to have said this many times before, but please remember – together, we really can do this.
Gaeron Kayley
More thoughts from the public on EDDC landgrab at the Knowle are here: https://www.streetlife.com/conversation/3w1f67nozab7/
Info and how/ where/ to object, at this link: http://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/02/04/fact-file-on-knowle-plan-and-land-to-be-appropriated-reminder-deadline-for-objections-20th-feb-2015/
Suddenly, after four and three quarter years of rarely being spotted in East Devon and never appearing to have had a single public thought about its shambolic Local Plan or the Knowle relocation fiasco and never having said anything about any of the massive developments afflicting our district, our current MP Hugo Swire starts saying Knowle relocation is a mistake (duh: Claire Wright’s being saying that for 2 years) and he arranges to talk about planning in Clyst St Mary on Thursday 19 February in the school hall (no time yet given)and in Woodbury Village Hall on Friday, 20th February from 6.30 till 8.0 p.m. So, that’s 2 meetings for Hugo, scores and scores for Claire Wright.
If you have a burning question – particularly about he just seems to have woken up some 3 months before a general election, when it is far too late for most of the towns and villages suffering massive and inappropriate developments already agreed by EDDC – now is the time to ask it.
Save Clyst St Mary Notice of meeting 12 Feb 15 (1)
Thank you to everyone for your support over and attending the meetings. A lot has been achieved in a very short space of time.
The Parish plan is progressing well and there is another meeting(Sorry!) on Thursday 12th February at 7.00pm this is to discuss the draft proposals of the village plan the venue is in the village hall. Once this plan becomes adopted it should help to stop our village from the continual threat of further large scale planning applications from developers!
Many of our residents have asked what our local MP is doing about all these planning applications and why Clyst St Mary has had so many in such a short space of time. Mike Howe has convinced Hugo Swire to come and talk to us on Thursday 19th February in the School Hall at 6.30pm (Sorry we couldn’t get the village hall it was already booked) I would really like to fill the hall to show how much support we have behind us and to ask what he is doing about it! Please Please come if you can.
Just a reminder that this evening there is a meeting in the village hall at 7.30pm to discuss the planning proposal to demolish no 16 Clyst Valley Road and build 40 new houses on the land sandwiched between the football ground and the back gardens of houses on Clyst Valley Road. Charlie Hopkins (Expert planning consultant) will be there.
Should anyone need transport please ask. We have several willing volunteers that have offered to ferry residents to and from the meeting.
Hope to see you all later on.
Best wishes
Another public consultation, EDDC-style, is underway. Can anyone find the plans online? Unlike planning proposals, comments ‘must be made IN WRITING’ (no mention of website option).
Your friends and neighbours might like to know.
Urgent reminder from Save Clyst St Mary Campaign:
‘Thank you to everyone who has paid their money that was previously pledged. Every penny is gratefully appreciated. Anyone can donate – you simply need to pay your money into the SaveClyst ST Mary account via the village Post Office or if you prefer to do it electronically, into Natwest Bank account: 56-00-49 32633181
Please be aware that there are only forty six letters of objection on the East Devon Council website. We desperately need to get that number over one hundred (at least – the Winslade Park proposal had over two hundred) so please do post or email your objections as soon as possible (remember, the closing date is now only three days away).
If you decide to input your comments directly on to EDDC’s site, do check that the comments actually appear! A number seem to have vanished into cyber world. EDDC is aware of the issue and has requested that anyone who has problems contacts them immediately.
Finally, don’t forget the meeting in the village hall Thursday 5th February at 7.30pm. Charlie Hopkins(Expert planning consultant) will be attending. This meeting will be focusing specifically on the proposal to demolish a house in Clyst Valley Road and build forty houses on the field, currently owned by the Plymouth Brethren, situated adjacent to Clyst Valley Football Club’s grounds.
A big thank you to you all for your continued support. As we have said previously, it’s a big challenge ahead of us – but together, we can do it!’
East Devon Watch has received a circular from the Marley Planning group who are objecting to a plan for 150 houses (on top of 350 from another developer in adjacent land) off Marley Road, Exmouth. The plan appears to have the hallmarks of a speculative application recognised as being able to take advantage of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) situation. An attempt to have the land included last time around was thrown out.
The planning application is 14/3022/MOUT and objections must be in no later that 10th February. Copies of objections should go to Exmouth Town Council.
For anyone wishing to add their voice to the objections,the Marley Planning Group Campaigners have prepared a draft letter of objection which can be used as it is, or modified as required. Details at this link Proforma Letter Marley Planning Group . For further information please e-mail marleyleyplanning@yahoo.co.uk .
EDW footnotes:
-Readers may be aware that the developer cut down a sizeable ancient oak before the community consultation.
-The applicant’s submitted documents claim there would be no impact on the local surgery, based solely on the fact that the surgery (Raleigh Surgery) still takes new patients. However, we are told that one of the partners has said in the press they could not absorb such numbers without significant resources.
From Gaeron Kayley of Save Clyst St Mary campaign group:
‘Please be aware that a number of people are having difficulties logging their comments onto the EDDC website. The website suggests your comments have been successfully submitted, yet they never appear. If this has happened to you too, please notify: icthelpdesk@eastdevon.gov.ukIt will help if you can include the application on which you were commenting, along with the approximate time and date you submitted your comments.’
The value of trees was a major theme at last night’s Sidmouth Arboretum AGM (held in the Annie Leigh Browne Room, Old Unitarian Church).
Guest speaker AONB Manager Chris Woodruff, gave an informal but very informative presentation on the aesthetic, social, environmental, and economic benefits of trees.. He spoke of the value to the local economy of modifying the woodland environment ((for example, the profitable provision of family attractions at Haldon Hills). Wood for fuel is in increasing demand, and local woodburning stove company, Stovax, saw sales rise by 50% last year. But England has a surprisingly low percentage of sustainably managed woodland, (barely half) compared with the other UK countries. Another surprise Chris Woodruff mentioned, is that hedges, i.e. “vertical woodland”, are not included in such surveys.
Meanwhile, Sidmouth Arboretum now has a Transatlantic link! It is working in partnership with the American organisation, Treeconomics, on a tree survey being specifically adapted for our local environment. Following Sidmouth’s lead, two other towns (Crawley,and Lewis, in Sussex) are currently establishing a civic arboretum.
The value of trees is increasingly being recognised….!
More info here http://www.treeconomics.co.uk/
“England’s natural environment is in decline and its deterioration is harming the economy, an independent advisory group has told the government.
The Natural Capital Committee says pressures will rise with population growth and has called for a 25-year investment plan.
Its report said measures like investing in improved air quality and greener cities would bring economic benefits.
Defra said it had set “long-term goals” to halt “decades of decline”.
‘Great opportunity’
The committee also advised that creating hundreds of thousands of hectares of woodland and wetlands would lead to multi-million pound benefits, including avoiding flooding and improving health.
It says the government, businesses and society as a whole should be involved in the 25-year strategy to protect England’s “natural capital” – its assets which include forests, rivers, land and wildlife.
…
Analysis
By Roger Harrabin, Environment Analyst
When the government came to office ministers said they wanted to leave the environment in a better state than before. They set up a committee to report on the state of the UK’s natural assets.
Their report says the elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people – like clean air, clean water, food and recreation – are in long-term decline.
That’s the bad news. The committee says the good news is it can be put right. They say a 25-year investment plan will bring returns comparable to other infrastructure projects.
Good value investments include saving on health spending by cleaning up dirty air, preventing floods by restoring peat bogs and creating wetlands, improving fisheries and improving green spaces in cities to get people outdoors and improve their mental and physical health.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30996096 (extracts)
East Devon Watch has been sent this update on what’s happening at Clyst St Mary:
‘A massive thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to unite Clyst St Mary in opposing inappropriate development within our village. Our aim is to ensure any future building is sustainable and in accordance with the emerging Neighbourhood Plan so that the village’s unique identity can be maintained and its green sites preserved. We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of residents who turned up at the Village Hall last Tuesday to voice their concerns regarding proposals for developments at Cat’s Copse, Winslade Park and Oil Mill Lane. Thanks in part to the generosity of residents, the Parish Council has now been able to hire a specialist planning consultant to help us fight these proposals. The next crucial meeting is on 5th February at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
As you may already be aware, yet another planning application has now been received which, once again, threatens to destroy the character of our village with the development of not only 40 houses (which is in addition to the 93 village homes for which planning permission has already been granted) but also the demolition of an existing family home in the heart of Clyst Valley Road to provide road access into the existing well established, incredibly quiet residential estate. The proposed site, currently owned by the Plymouth Brethren, is the large field adjacent to our football ground.Although it has been labeled ‘Land off Clyst Valley Road, this is in fact misleading since there is no existing access from this road. Nor, at the time of writing, is there any sign of the plans on display in close proximity to the home the developers want to demolish; the only references are situated on the boundary fence between Winslade Park Avenue/A376 and our village football ground.
With the deadline for letters of objection only weeks away (4th February 2015) please can we strongly urge you to continue supporting the village by emailing/writing to East Devon District Council to voice your objections to this most recent proposal. Issues you may wish to consider with regard to this specific development include: an increase in population for which the village does not have the infra-structure; the loss of the existing residential estate’s unique, tranquil character; substantial loss of light and privacy to residents whose bungalows back onto the site (the proposed homes are 2 or 3 storeys in height); an enormous (and potentially dangerous) increase in traffic travelling through the estate – very few public facilities are available within walking distance; a potential increase in congestion both through the main village and onto the Exmouth and Sidmouth roads (the Church Lane entrance to the estate, the site of 21 road traffic incidents in recent years – one of which was fatal – will be particularly affected); an increase in already high levels of pollution, especially at the Clyst St Mary roundabout ; concerns regarding potential flooding which would be exacerbated by the loss of further green spaces; existing wildlife habitats would be destroyed; it would be setting a precedent – which village field, park or site, on either side of the A3052, would become the next target for destruction?
When drafting your objections, the planning reference you should quote is ‘Land Off Clyst Valley Road: 15/0072/MOUT’. A selection of sample letters are given below * and will be available to download from our website http://www.saveclsytstmary.org.uk within the next few days – please feel free to adapt these as required. They can be sent by post or email (planningwest@eastdevon.gov.uk)
Please do note the aforementioned meeting regarding this planning application on 5th February 2015 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall where, once again, your support is essential.
Finally, please can we remind local residents that they are still able to contribute towards the on-going costs of employing Charlie Hopkins, our planning consultant. Payment can be made via the website or at Clyst St Mary Post Office. Please be assured that money will be used for no other purpose than to help pay Mr Hopkins; anyone assisting this campaign is doing so voluntarily and all costs such as printing and banners have been paid for by those volunteers. Do visit our website regularly as we are endeavouring to keep it as up to date as possible. A series of rare historical maps of our area are one of the most recent features which may be of interest.Feel free to suggest any further features you would like to see added.
– As we have stated previously, the challenge ahead of us is not easy – but together, we really can do it!’
*15 0072 MOUT ( Land off Clyst Valley Road, Clyst St Mary
*Land off CVR letter
*** STOP PRESS: new planning application for another solar farm in the area – *** please see website for further details
Persimmon Homes is funding the redesign of 3 holes at Exeter Golf and Country Club because their homes are close to the club and they were unhappy that the Club’s alternative (a high safety net) would impact on their site.
Lots of new rules being instigated at EDDC recently (a possible unseemly distraction from the focus of getting a new Local Plan in place?). Interesting that priority has been given to drawing up new rules for task forums (fora?). http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/changes_proposed_for_east_devon_council_task_forums_to_avoid_risk_of_hijack
Which makes us all wonder about the crippled Business Task and Finish Forum (Business TAFF). It was originally set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s then Chair, Cllr Stuart Hughes, who was rapidly replaced by Cllr Tim Wood. The latter seems to have no enthusiasm for the Business TAFF’s purpose which was to undertake “an in-depth” investigation into EDDC and business (inevitably including the group formerly known as the East Devon Business Forum, co-founded by Cllr Paul Diviani, and described by EDDC Chief Executive Mark Williams as a “joint body” with EDDC.). No “in-depth investigation” is known to have been done, and key players such as EDDC’s former Economic Development Manager, Nigel Harrison, who had a dual role as the EDBF’s Honorary Secretary, have not been available to answer questions.
If the Business TAFF does at last continue, will its scope have been altered, for what reasons, and by whom? One assumes that EDDC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chair and Vice-Chair have complete and independent control of the matter, without any officer interference. This evening’s meeting may or may not confirm that.
For a timeline for the Business Forum, try the SIN archive: https://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/the-business-taff-drags-on/
East Devon Watch 