Best April Fool – Owl?

Barnard Castle plans life-sized bronze of Boris Johnson’s former adviser after infamous trip ‘to test eyesight’ put town on map

By Gordon Rayner 1 April 2021www.telegraph.co.uk 

In the list of Britain’s top tourist attractions, it might struggle to rival the likes of Buckingham Palace or the Eden Project.

But Dominic Cummings’ notorious lockdown-busting visit to Barnard Castle could soon be commemorated with a statue in the historic market town, The Telegraph has learned.

Plans have been submitted to the local council for a life-sized bronze of Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, who drove to the beauty spot last April in what he claimed was a bid to test his eyesight.

Local tourist chiefs argue that the town should capitalise on the infamy Mr Cummings brought it, having seen visitor numbers increase once lockdown was lifted last summer.

Shopkeepers in the town say the question they are most commonly asked by visitors is “where is the place that Dominic Cummings tested his eyesight?” and many would like to be able to point tourists to a plaque or statue marking the exact spot by the town’s riverside.

What the proposed Barnard Castle statue of Dominic Cummings could look like, complete with carrier bag Credit: Paul Grover/for the Telegraph

A planning application submitted by Olaf Priol, a member of the local historic society, requests permission for a 5ft 11in bronze on a pyrite plinth, depicting Mr Cummings wearing a trademark hoodie and jeans, carrying a set of car keys and “squinting into the distance, adjusting his spectacles with his right hand”.

The plans are likely to prove controversial as a local by-law states that statues in the town can only depict “deceased historic figures” who have “contributed to the common good”.

However, the council has the power to set aside the by-law if someone has made an “exceptional contribution” to the national and international profile of Barnard Castle.

Supporters of the plan are likely to point out that Mr Cummings’ visit led to Barnard Castle being name-checked in newspapers around the world.

Last summer, the then mayor of the town, which is 30 miles from Mr Cummings’ parents’ home in Durham, said the huge media coverage of the visit had “done us good in the sense that it has put us on the map”.

Beer firm BrewDog even made a special IPA called Barnard Castle Eye Test, which sold more than 800,000 cans.

Barnard Castle received another boost this week when Boris Johnson announced a new facility to “fill and finish” Covid-19 vaccines will be opened in the town. He later joked to MPs that Mr Cummings had been “scouting out the complex” during his Easter Saturday visit last year.

Attending a football match or a vigil on Clapham Common, different kettles of fishes? – Owl

Remember:

Break lockdown rules: “end up in a police cell”

An investigation into a controversial outdoor carol service held at Darts Farm has resulted in no action being taken.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

Concerns and criticisms were raised on social media after images shared of the event on December 16, 2020, appeared to show significant numbers of people apparently not socially distancing or wearing face coverings.

The carol service was held on the grounds of Darts Farm, in Topsham, and police say it received no calls prompting officers to investigate on the night.

Following the event, East Devon District Council announced they were looking into the ‘planning and control measures’ to work out if rules were broken.

A screen shot of the outdoor Christmas carol evening at Darts Farm

However, Darts Farm insisted it had followed the suggestions from the Government’s ‘Covid-19: suggested principles of safer singing’ guidelines.

A spokesperson for East Devon District Council said: “The East Devon District Council legal team have concluded that the actual event, being a gathering, was the responsibility of the police to make any decisions on enforcement of the situation.

“The council have contacted the business to require information under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 on the risk assessments for the event, and the company provided information sufficient to satisfy us that further action was not appropriate under our enforcement policy.”

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “We are aware of an event that was held within the grounds of Darts Farm on December 16 2020.

“As this related to an event at a business premises this was left in the hands of the relevant local authority to investigate.

“This matter was not reported to police at the time and therefore officers did not attend the location while this incident was taking place.

“Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we have only issued fines when supported by evidence captured at the scene by our officers, therefore no retrospective action is being considered in relation to Darts Farm in relation to this event.”

Darts Farm is a nationally award-winning farm and food-hub located on the outskirts of Exeter.

Following its carol event last year, a spokesperson for the farm said: “With unlimited outdoor space and using closed off car parking, everyone was able to social distance and stand where they wanted. You could say that it was more organised than most busy high streets on a Saturday.

“The actual programme for the evening, including all of the carols, was on our website so that everyone could follow and sing using their phones – reducing any contact with no one gathered around a screen with projected words.

“From all those that attended, we have had nothing but positive feedback and interestingly the only criticism has come from those that didn’t actually attend the evening.

“The comments we have received include, ‘really moving hearing people singing together again even at a distance’, and ‘a big thank you for the organised carol service this evening. You do not know how much we needed that. God bless and merry Christmas’.

“It was brilliant to be able to see our local community come together in festive spirits in what has been a very challenging year. Outdoor carol singing is something that has been encouraged by the government in their recent guidance to help lift our spirits this Christmas.”

Water companies discharged raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters in England more than 400,000 times last year, Environment Agency (EA) data has revealed.

Sandra Laville www.theguardian.com 

Untreated human effluent poured into rivers and seas for a total of 3.1m hours via storm overflow pipes that are supposed to be used only in extreme weather to relieve pressure in the sewage system.

The data is being published for the first time as a result of pressure on the EA, water companies and the government over the scale of sewage pollution in rivers.

Data for 2019 published by the Guardian last year showed raw sewage was discharged for 1.5m hours into rivers alone.

Countries are legally obliged to treat sewage before it is released into waterways. Discharges of untreated human waste are permitted only in exceptional circumstances, for example after extreme rainfall, the European court of justice has ruled.

The new figures show the scale of sewage discharges in England into rivers and seas. They have increased from 292,864 incidents in 2019 to 403,171 in 2020 – a 37% rise.

This is partly because more monitoring of storm overflows by water companies has this year provided a much clearer picture of the scale of the pollution. In 2020, monitoring was placed on 12,092 storm overflows, compared with 8,276 in 2019, a 46% increase. The EA said average spill numbers remained similar to last year.

Sir James Bevan, the EA’s chief executive, said: “Storm overflows are designed to discharge sewage to rivers or the sea at times of heavy rainfall to prevent it backing up into homes and streets. But higher population and climate change means they will discharge more often.

“The Environment Agency is working actively with the water companies to ensure overflows are properly controlled and the harm they do to the environment stopped. Increased monitoring and reporting of storm overflows is part of the solution. It means everyone can see exactly what is happening, and will help drive the improvements and future investment that we all want to see, with £1.1bn of investment already planned for the next four years.”

The Rivers Trust said the scale of discharges by water companies was shocking and that real-time monitoring of sewage discharges into rivers was needed.

Michelle Walker, the trust’s deputy technical director, said: “It’s good to finally see this data in the public domain, and in particular the significant increase in the number of overflows being monitored over the last four years.

“While we know we can’t make a direct comparison to last year’s … data due to the 50% increase in the number of overflows being monitored, the data raises alarm bells.

“If storm overflows work as designed, they will discharge less than 20 times per year, when there has been extreme rainfall … The 2020 data indicates that, appallingly, almost one in five overflows across England are discharging more than 60 times per year, a number which is supposed to trigger an EA investigation. This is a staggering statistic.”

Walker said there had been an increase in the recreational use of rivers during the pandemic, which was likely to continue. Real-time data for more rivers, not just the one river in Ilkley for which bathing water status has been granted, was needed, she said.

Hugo Tagholm, of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Water companies making rampant profits at the expense the health of our rivers, ocean and people has to stop.

“Whilst the government is proposing new laws to be agreed for 2022, the sewage pollution crisis is here today and needs swift, decisive and enforced action. “We will not allow government and water companies to just kick this issue into the long grass … what we need now is radical action.”

A spokesperson for the industry body, Water UK, said: “Water companies are committed to playing their part in reducing any harm from storm overflows. As the data shows, we have massively increased monitoring, with the aim of getting 100% of the 14,630 overflows in England monitored by the end of 2023. This data is invaluable and allows investment to be targeted where it’s needed most.”

Water companies would be investing £1.1bn to improve storm overflows over the next five years as part of a wider £5bn programme of environmental improvements and the industry was playing a leading role in the government’s storm overflow taskforce that was looking at long-term alternatives, the spokesperson said.

The government announced on Monday that it was putting the reduction of sewage discharges by storm overflows into a legal framework. Ministers will have to come up with a plan to reduce them by 2022 – a timeline that was criticised by campaigners as too slow.

Raw sewage discharges into seas and rivers by water companies

Anglian Water – spill events: 17,428; duration in hours: 170,547

Welsh Water – spill events: 3,969; duration in hours: 21,300

Northumbrian – spill events: 32,497; duration in hours: 178,229

Severn Trent – spill events: 60,982; duration in hours: 558,699

Southwest Water – spill events: 42,053; duration in hours: 375,37

Southern Water – spill events: 19,782; duration in hours: 197,213

Thames Water – spill events: 18,443; duration in hours: 215,886

United Utilities – spill events: 113,940; duration in hours: 726,450

Wessex Water – spill events: 28,994; duration in hours: 237,035

Yorkshire Water – spill events: 65,083; duration in hours: 420,419

Data provided by the Environment Agency

Westpoint has been dishing out vaccines since January. It’s going three miles up the road

Radio Exe News www.radioexe.co.uk 

The large covid vaccination centre in Exeter is to move from Westpoint to nearby Greendale at the end of April, as the vaccination programme enters its next phase.

The move coincides with the beginning of a return to more normal commercial operations for Westpoint which is home to the Devon County Show. The show is due to go ahead a little later than usual this year, after being cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Everyone with appointments at Westpoint in April should attend as normal. There is no change to those appointments.

From the end of April, all existing appointments for second doses will move to Greendale but will take place on the same day and at the same time. People whose appointments are affected around the transition date will be contacted directly. There is no need to contact the NHS regarding your appointment.

A section of the Greendale site is being turned into a large vaccination centre by the NHS, with the centre meeting the same stringent safety requirements. It will offer plentiful parking and is only three miles and under five minutes’ drive from Westpoint. Signage will be in place to guide patients to the new venue from all directions.

Leigh Mansfield, the vaccination centre operations manager for the RD&E said: “The Westpoint vaccination centre has been an outstanding success in rolling out the covid vaccine to the people of Devon, and we’d like to thank the Devon County Agricultural Society for all they’ve done in helping us achieve this and making us so welcome.

“We’d also like to thank all the staff and volunteers who have supported us at Westpoint – they have been tremendous – and we look forward to welcoming them to our new base at Greendale.” 

Sam Kirkness, group head of property at Greendale said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the vaccination centre to Greendale. It is great to be part of the national effort against Covid-19 and we will continue to work very closely with the RD&E to ensure that the sites operate smoothly and efficiently once established.

As a business, we will remain open as normal whilst the vaccination centre is here and the sites have been designed to ensure as little disruption as possible to existing businesses and customers over the coming months.

Alongside our huge thanks to the RD&E and the NHS for their incredible efforts over the last year, we would also like to thank East Devon District Council for their helpful advice and guidance thus far.”

A solar farm the size of 79 football pitches has been proposed for an area of East Devon between the village of Clyst Hydon and hamlet, Lower Tale.

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk 

The plans, put forward by Lightrock Power who develops large-scale solar farms, cover an area of around 64 hectares – approximately158 acres – which could power the equivalent of 15,000 homes or 19,000 electric vehicles.

The developer said it will hold an online public exhibition in late spring in a bid to consult the community on the application.

The solar farm developer has launched an online information point for early feedback, which can also be given by phone, letter and email.

Lightrock Power said the Paytherden Solar Farm project was in the ‘early phases’ of development and was currently ‘being planned and assessed’ by its team.

Chris Sowerbutts, Lightrock Power founder and director, said: “We are keen to talk about our proposals for Paytherden solar farm.

“We would really like the local community to be involved in the process leading up to any planning application being submitted, and would appreciate early feedback and views.”

The farm where Paytherden is proposed to go is managed by Jon and Louise Burrough, who believe using the land to produce green energy will benefit the community and environment.

The couple said: “Climate change is the biggest threat our species has ever faced and everyone must make an effort.

“As custodians of a small part of the countryside, we’re in a unique position to play our part.

“Electricity use over the next thirty years is set to double, with half of all cars on the roads likely to be electric in the next five years.

“Therefore, the need to produce green energy to meet with this demand is crucial.”

Mr and Mrs Burrough added: “We are committed to caring for the environment and this is reflected in the way we farm.

“Over the past forty years we’ve planted ten-thousand trees here, including native species, orchards and a butterfly wood.

“We’ve also farmed organically for over twenty years, enabling more birds and bees to thrive.

“Not only does using our farm to produce green energy fit in with our ethos, it has enormous benefits for the wider community and the environment as a whole.”

A letter from the Electoral Reform Society to the Times, 31 March, spells out the danger of one-party domination in local government. The solution proposed is electoral reform. In the short term we have County Council elections on May 6 and Owl believes that voters should use the opportunity to vote for a more diverse council membership. In essence the questions to ask are: which candidate are free from party whipping and can truly represent the interests of their patch (“Division” in county-speak), and are committed to following the Nolan principles?

Sir, Patrick Maguire is right to highlight the one-party fiefdoms that plague local government (Mar 29). Indeed we often see the absurdity of “scrutiny committees”, reviewing millions of pounds in contracts, being dominated by the same party in office. It is a recipe for disaster. The risks of winner-takes-all politics — of sloppy decision-making and dodgy dealings — are clear. Research for the Electoral Reform Society in 2015 found that councils dominated by single parties could be wasting as much as £2.6 billion a year through a lack of scrutiny of their procurement processes. The study looked at thousands of public sector contracts, and found that one-party dominated councils were about 50 per cent more at risk of corruption than politically competitive councils, paying far over the odds to lobbyist contractors.

Alarm bells should be ringing in Whitehall. A shift to proportional representation is vital to provide the scrutiny that voters need. Instead, the home secretary is scrapping the preferential voting system for choosing mayors, which will entrench one-party domination. She must think again.

Darren Hughes

CEO, Electoral Reform Society

More detail and link to the 2015 research from www.electoral-reform.org.uk 

The study – undertaken by Cambridge University academic Mihály Fazekas – is titled The Cost of One-Party Councils and looks at the savings in contracting between councils dominated by a single party (or with a significant number of uncontested seats), and more competitive councils.

It finds that ‘one-party councils’ could be missing out on savings of around £2.6bn when compared to their more competitive counterparts – most likely due to a lack of scrutiny. £2.6bn is a lot of potential extra cash for our struggling authorities.

The report also measures councils’ procurement process against a ‘Corruption Risk Index’ – and finds that one-party councils are around 50% more at risk of corruption than politically competitive councils. The corruption risk of competitive councils compared to those dominated by one party is similar to the difference between the average Swedish municipality and the average Estonian municipality. This doesn’t bode well for democracy or council coffers.

And it’s no small-scale study. It uses ‘big data’ to look at 132,000 public procurement contracts between 2009 and 2013 to identify ‘red flags’ for corruption, such as where only a single bid is submitted or there is a shortened length of time between advertising the bid and the submission deadline.

One-party councils come about because of the distorting effects of First Past the Post in local elections. So today, we’re renewing our call for England and Wales to adopt the Scottish system (the Single Transferable Vote) for electing local councils. In Scotland, it has been shown to completely end the phenomena of one-party councils and uncontested seats – and could result in significant public savings, by increasing levels of scrutiny and lowering councils’ risk of dodgy dealings.

These findings make sense really. When single parties have almost complete control of councils, scrutiny and accountability tend to suffer.

The £2.6bn potential wastage is a damning indictment of an electoral system that gives huge artificial majorities to parties and undermines scrutiny. This kind of waste would be unjustifiable at the best of times. But during a period of austerity it is simply astonishing.

Alarm bells should be ringing in Whitehall today. First Past the Post is clearly unfit for purpose – especially for local government – with parties able to win the vast majority of seats often on a minority of the vote (and on tiny turnouts).

A fairer system, such as the one used in Scotland for local elections, would make ‘one-party states’ a thing of the past. And by letting the sunlight in, a fairer voting system could lead to substantial savings for the taxpayer.

Read the full report

It’s been an incredible political adventure and an absolute honour to serve my community for the past 12 years but it’s time to pursue new opportunities…Claire Wright

A great loss to the movement in East Devon as Claire stands down. She has been an inspiration to us all. I will be keeping in touch – and look forward to Jess joining me on the County Council, voters willing! – Martin Shaw

Paul Nero www.radioexe.co.uk 

Claire Wright will pursue other opportunities

Claire Wright to step down

The independent politician who has given Conservative candidates a run for their money in the past three parliamentary elections is quitting her role on Devon County Council.

Claire Wright came second to Sir Hugo Swire in the 2015 and 2017 general elections, before challenging his replacement Simon Jupp in 2019. She increased her share of the vote from 24 to 40 per cent, a commendable achievement for someone without the support of a large party machine.

However, her disappointment on the morning of the 2019 election was palpable and she declined to say whether she would run again.

Now she has decided not to seek re-election to her seat on Devon County Council in the forthcoming local elections, where she represents West Hill and Aylesbeare in East Devon.

Ms Wright said: “My decision to stand aside may come as a surprise to people.  However, I have quietly been considering my position for some time and although it has been an honour and privilege to serve my community in this way, it is now time to step aside. 

“It was in recent days and after much contemplation that I reached the decision that now is the right time to pursue other career opportunities.”

She is asking voters to elect independent councillor Jess Bailey in her place.

Ms Bailey has been an East Devon District councillor since 2019 and has served on Ottery St Mary Town Council and West Hill Parish Council for seven years. A solicitor, she grew up on a farm in Mid Devon where she developed a love of wildlife and nature. 

She said: “I am very honoured to be endorsed by Claire as her potential successor. It is by no means guaranteed that I will be elected though and in the coming weeks I will be working hard to understand the issues across the Otter Valley Ward. It will of course be a different kind of election due to Covid and whilst it may not be possible to speak to people on the doorstep in the ‘normal’ way I will be doing all that I can to communicate with residents.”

Claire Wright added: “I know with absolute certainty, that my ward, the residents, the wildlife, the trees and every other thing of value, will be in supremely safe hands if Jess is elected. I have known her for years. She has proven time and time again that she is hard working, that she cares and that she fights tooth and nail for her ward.”

Trees will be in safe hands with Jess Bailey, says Claire Wright

“There is no one else I would feel more confident in, or happier to succeed me on Devon County Council. I very much hope that my supporters will step forward to help Jess in the forthcoming election campaign – as I myself will be doing. It is a huge challenge for an Independent to be elected to the County Council without the backing of a party machine. With only five weeks to go until polling day, it will now be full steam ahead for Jess and for those helping with her campaign.”

Most of East Devon’s future housing growth will have to be built on sites outside of existing town centres, councillors have been told.

Simon Jupp talking up the possibility of Exmouth getting a slice of the “levelling-up” fund. In reality towns are being asked to gamble scarce money in preparing expensive glossy bids in what amounts to a national “Beauty Contest” – Owl

Daniel Clark, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

With the council currently producing a new Local Plan, an urban capacity study was commissioned to assess the potential for development within existing town centres

East Devon District Council’s strategic planning committee has heard that in the eight main towns in the district, a maximum of 766 homes could theoretically be built, fewer than the 928 currently required by the government to be built each year.

The meeting heard therefore that most of the housing would have to come outside of town centres, although increases in home working and thus the repurposing of office space for residential is something that may come forward further down the line.

The committee says in future, developments will probably have to be of a higher density than currently, and with in some cases to built up rather than out. Further work needs to be undertaken to examine how redevelopment of some town centres areas can be achieved.

Cllr Mike Howe suggested that a complete redevelopment of Exmouth’s Magnolia shopping centre, using money that the council has been awarded as part of the Levelling Up Fund, could provide a significant number of houses in the town centres, as well as helping to redevelop areas.

The fund is open for applications of up to £20 million to regenerate and improve High Streets in places like Exmouth, and tbuilds on the work of smaller schemes which predate the pandemic, including the Future High Streets Fund.

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, had said: “I have spoken up for Exmouth in parliament and now funding which can be used to develop plans to improve our town is on the way. East Devon District Council needs to submit a strong bid to be considered for up to £20 million for Exmouth’s High Street. I hope the council will work with me to grasp this opportunity for the good of our town.”

Under the Welcome Back Fund, which aims to prepare towns for the safe return of shoppers and tourists, East Devon District Council will also receive £230,992 from the government.

Ed Freeman, service lead for planning strategy and development management, said that the aim of the urban capacity study was to understand how many possible housing sites with a capacity of five homes or more may be located in urban areas.

He said: “It would be ideal to meet the needs from brownfield sites but sadly it is not going to be anywhere near possible based on our assessment. We have looked at what is physically and practically possible but not the willingness of landowners and details of layout of sites

“There is a potential supply of 766 homes and that is a maximum as some may never come forward as there may not be a willing landowner or more specific constraints than the high level assessment suggests. It can form a component of housing supply going forward, won’t be a significant element.”

Cllr Olly Davey said that it was a salutary reminder that cannot rely on going inside the built-up boundary to meet the housing needs, adding: “This is 766 in total, not per year, as if it was, we wouldn’t have a problem. People want to see towns developed before open countryside is, but we have to recognise that may not satisfy all our future housing needs.”

Cllr Eleanor Rylance said that there is going to need to be higher density living in urban areas in the future. She said: “If we don’t have the land, then the only solution is to go up, and Britain has to get used to living in flats. Crucially, it stops town centres from dying out as there are people around to use the businesses, as without it, a lot of the shops won’t recover.”

Cllr Howe added: “We know the Levelling Up fund is open to us and we have seed money to put together a plan for Exmouth, and I have always thought the Magnolia Centre needs a bulldozer and a redevelopment. If you did that properly and did it well, you would have lovely office and shopping units and then like Princesshay in Exeter, 3/4/5 stories of flats above.

“It would be getting people living in the centre and working in the centre, so I think we need to be ambitious on this and don’t think that the full impacts of the Levelling Up fund have been added to the equation and we need to use it, and we do have the MPs support, so we have to get a move on.

“500 homes for Exmouth on that Magnolia site would be lovely and wouldn’t it just do the goods for the town centre? I think we can achieve more than the numbers here but need to look more cleverly.”

Cllr Paul Arnott, leader of the council, said that there was a meeting between senior members and MPs on April 14 to talk about how to work together with the Levelling Up fund, and added: “The idea of the Magnolia Centre is fantastic and anything we can do with the opportunities to maximise the use of the footprint is a really smart idea, and that would be promising.”

Cllr Kevin Blakey put forward a recommendation that that members note the limited capacity available within the existing built-up area boundaries of the main towns and the potential need to find land outside of these areas to meet the future development needs of the district when other opportunities are exhausted, which was unanimously accepted by the committee.

The urban capacity study identified all undeveloped land within the study area, although the vast majority of the sites, such as playing fields, leisure facilities, and green spaces were discounted due to their recreational importance, and were only included for completeness rather than any indication they were being considered.

Mr Freeman told the meeting that inclusion within this final list of sites should not be considered a substitute for planning permission and the study makes no judgement on whether permission would be granted, adding that it was likely that some sites included will not be appropriate for development as a result of detailed factors not assessed though the remit of the study.

A total of 60 sites in the eight main towns were identified through the study, with a capacity for 766 homes to be built on them, but Mr Freeman added: “Even in the unlikely event that all of these sites were brought forward, the potential supply of 766 homes represents significantly less than one years housing supply coming from land within the existing built up area boundaries of the towns.

“A proactive approach to their delivery is likely to be highly resource intensive and is potentially fraught with difficulties in terms of tracking down and approaching owners to discuss these sites without being seen to be encouraging an application that may ultimately not be accepted.

“The work is however useful evidence to inform plan production and also any estimate of the likely numbers of windfall sites that may come forward in the future.”

The meeting also agreed to the provisional timetable to produce a new draft local plan, with the aim for the committee to consider it in December.

POTENTIAL SITES THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED FOR HOUSING IN TOWN CENTRES

AXMINSTER (140 homes)

Land At Millbrook Valley, Stoney Lane, Axminster – south of Hallets Way – 10 homes

Axe Vale Social Club, Chard Street, Axminster, EX13 5EB – 5 homes

Land off and north of St Andrews Drive – 10 homes

Land off St David’s Close/St David’s Drive – 5 homes

Former football pitch site at Millwey – 30 homes

Millwey Community Gardens and Community Centre – 15 homes

Land south of monkstone and west of St Mary’s church – 10 homes

Land to the east of Lyme Close – 5 homes

Parking courtyard and garages at Ridgway Court – 5 homes

Axminster Community Hospital site – 10 homes

Land north of cemetery at Millwey – 10 homes

Websters Garage site and adjoining land and buildings – 25 homes

BUDLEIGH SALTERTON (10 homes)

Land forming part of former railway line, Knowle, Budleigh Salterton – 10 homes

CRANBROOK (0 homes)

No sites considered suitable

EXMOUTH (427 homes)

Car park at Margret St/north of Lower Fore Street – 20 homes

Vacant/underused land north of Fore Street – 20 homes

Open space south of Kay Close – 6 homes

Green Close northern triangle area – 5 homes

Green Close southern triangle area – 5 homes

Open land west of Bradham Lane – 6 homes

Open land alongside Moorfield Road – 5 homes

Land at Burnside – 5 homes

Open land north of Jubilee Drive – 20 homes

Open space at junction of Bradham Lane and Salterton Road – 10 homes

Open space west of The Green/at Lestock Close – 6 homes

Open space area east of The Green /south of Village Close – 5 homes

Former waste tip site west of Dinan Way – 110 homes

Withycombe Health Centre – 5 homes

Vacant/underused industrial premises western side of Pankhurst Close – 42 homes

Green space north west of the end of Liverton Close – 5 homes

Open space north of St John’s Road – 7 homes

Open space area west of Fraser Road – 9 homes

Open space area south of Fraser Road – 5 homes

Open space area at Cedar Close – 5 homes

Open space area east of Jubilee Drive – 5 homes

Play area at the end of Betjeman Drive – 5 homes

Open space area at Jubilee Close – 5 homes

Former industrial site on Albion Hill – 12 homes

British Red Cross Hall South Street Exmouth EX8 2SA – 5 homes

28 Cranford Avenue Exmouth EX8 2PZ – 20 homes

22 And 24 Albion Hill Exmouth EX8 1JS – 14 homes

Land at Withycombe Brook, Exmouth – 50 homes

Buildings at the Deaf Academy – 30 homes

HONITON (74 homes)

Land at Dower Street, west of Lee Close development and south of A30 – 5 homes

Garages south of Pale Gate, Honiton – 5 homes

Former Millwater School, Honiton Bottom Road – 23 homes

Garage block at northern end of Marker Way – 5 homes

Land adjoining and north of beggars Lane – 13 homes

Triangular grass area south of Monkton Road adjacent to Harts garage  – 5 homes

Land north of Chapel Street – 18 homes

OTTERY ST MARY (20 homes)

Car Park and land off Brook Street, EX11 1EZ – 5 homes

Field adjacent to Cadhay Lane, EX11 1QZ – 5 homes

Field adjacent to Longdogs Close, EX11 1JN – 5 homes

Old Fire Station, Batts Lane, EX11 1EY – 5 homes

SEATON (55 homes)

Former St Johns Ambulance Depot – 8 homes

Seaton Town FC Football Ground – 28 homes

Grass triangular area beyond the eastern end of Summersby Close. – 5 homes

Seaton Community Hospital – 14 homes

SIDMOUTH (40 homes)

Grass area west of Fairmead road – 5 homes

Land at Alexandria Trading Estate – 10 homes

Land north of Peasland road – 15 homes

Sidmouth Health Centre – 10 homes

How did he do it? How, in the name of everything he takes unseriously, did Boris Johnson announce that up to 60m doses of the Novavax vaccine will be bottled and finished by GlaxoSmithKline, but somehow stop himself looking straight down the camera to add: “And they’ll do it at their plant in … [Roger Moore-style eyebrow raise] … Barnard Castle”? There are few scarcer commodities than Johnsonian self-control, but having overcome that particular urge, the prime minister now surely has no personal restraint left for the rest of the year. Lock up your infosec entrepreneurs, parents…………..

Marina Hyde www.theguardian.com extract

The Plymouth councillor who published a picture of himself in a wig and dress mocking a proposal for a curfew on men following the death of Sarah Everard has been disciplined by the Conservatives.

Edward Oldfield www.plymouthherald.co.uk

The Facebook post by Mark Deacon, councillor for Southway, was criticised during a period of intense public discussion about violence towards women and girls.

He removed the post after an outcry and apologised for causing offence.

Cllr Deacon was suspended by the city council Conservative group pending an investigation. That has now found he broke group rules on councillor conduct.

Tory leader Nick Kelly said in a statement that Cllr Deacon would be punished by serving a 21-day suspension from the group and a warning about use of social media would stay on his file.

Cllr Kelly said the councillor had confirmed he “deeply regrets” his “error of judgement” and was “completely remorseful to those he has offended”.

A petition was later set up in support of the Tory councillor for his achievements in the Southway ward.

Cllr Deacon published a picture of himself wearing a dress and wig, with the message: “If the Green Party and some Labour Party politicians get their way and impose this ridiculous 6pm curfew on men, then I’m going to wear my dress more often.”

He later removed the post and apologised. He wrote: “I didn’t intend any offence that my comments might have caused to a section of the public.”

Cllr Kelly said the councillor had not made the connection until after he made the post between the disappearance and death of Sarah Everard and the suggestion from Baroness Jones that men should face a 6pm curfew.

The marketing executive disappeared after walking home from a friend’s house in London in early March. A week later her remains were found in Kent and a police officer has been charged with her kidnap and murder.

Cllr Kelly said the Southway councillor would refresh his understanding of the Nolan Principles, also known as the Seven Principles of Public Live, which refer to the ethical standards public figures are expected to show of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. He would also complete the city council’s online equality and diversity training.

Cllr Deacon has represented the Southway ward since 2015 and his current term of office ends in 2023. A petition was started by a Southway resident in support of the councillor following his initial suspension, acknowledging his work in the area.

The statement from the Conservative group leader on Monday said: “Following a thorough internal investigation into the conduct of Cllr Mark Deacon as a result of a post he made on Facebook on Saturday 13th March 2021, regarding the statement from Baroness Jones that all men should face a 6pm curfew, Cllr Deacon was found to have breached the Plymouth Conservative Councillor Group’s Rules.

“The investigation found that upon realising his error of judgement, Cllr Deacon immediately removed the post that generated a number of adverse comments from the public and issued two apologies on his social media page.

“Subsequently, Cllr Deacon has confirmed that he deeply regrets his actions and is completely remorseful to those he has offended. Cllr Deacon wishes to unequivocally apologise for his actions and has learnt from this incident.

“Cllr Kelly confirmed that the post was insensitive regarding both content and timing after the tragic murder of Sarah Everard and the comments from the Baroness were made in light of this murder.

“Unfortunately, Cllr Deacon did not make this connection until after his offending post had been made public. Mark was mortified once he realised this link.

“In view of this breach, Councillor Deacon will serve a 21 day suspension from the Conservative Group. A warning will remain on Cllr Deacon’s file regarding his conduct, with specific regard to his use of social media.

“Cllr Deacon has agreed to be more mindful of expressing his views on social media in the future, especially in his capacity as a Plymouth City Councillor. Cllr Deacon will re-acquaint himself with the Nolan Principles regarding Public Life.

“Cllr Deacon will also complete the online Equality and Diversity Training provided by Plymouth City Council.

“Cllr Nick Kelly wishes to acknowledge all those who have contacted him regarding this incident, including the many offering their support to Cllr Deacon and highlighting the great work he has done since serving as a Conservative Councillor in the Southway Ward from May 2015.

“Hopefully, Mark will learn from this regrettable incident and will now once again be able to focus all his efforts into working on behalf of the residents of Southway Ward.”

A police investigation into Covid-19 deaths at a care home is now focusing on “infection control and management”.

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk 

A woman, 57, from Sidmouth, and a man, 30, from Exeter, who were arrested last week by police on suspicion of wilful neglect have been released on bail.

Both are members of staff at Holmesley Care Home in Sidmouth, Devon.

Nine deaths have been reported at the home since 25 February. All are thought to be related to an outbreak of the virus, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

“The police investigation is currently focusing on infection control and management within the home,” the force said in a statement.

“It is not currently related in any way to the vaccination of residents,” it added.

Holmesley Care Home said it is treating the allegations “with the utmost seriousness”.

It said it is grateful to “those diligent members of staff who brought concerns to light” adding that “the police have our full cooperation in their investigation”.

Police have previously said no other arrests were “currently planned” as investigations continued.

Officers are leading the investigation in partnership with health watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

Lifelong Conservative voters caught up in the building safety crisis are abandoning the party after its MPs voted against protecting leaseholders from potentially crippling costs to fix fire risks discovered after the Grenfell Tower fire.

Robert Booth www.theguardian.com 

Apartment owners, some of whom have supported the Tories since Margaret Thatcher set out her vision of a “property-owning democracy”, said they could no longer vote for a party which they argued was placing the interests of property developers and freeholders above homeowners.

One who had voted Tory for 50 years said he was “incensed” at seeing young people just climbing on to the housing ladder getting “kicked in the teeth”. Another, who supported the party for 30 years said “they are abandoning the people working hard to own their homes”.

The affected voters include middle-aged people who have invested in one or two apartments as a pension, people who have helped their children on to the housing ladder, owner occupiers and people who have bought a minority share of their home under shared ownership schemes but who are now being asked to pay all of the remediation bill.

The grassroots anger boiled over this week after Conservative MPs voted down an amendment to the fire safety bill, which would have ensured hundreds of thousands of leaseholders were protected from paying billions of pounds to fix apartment blocks found to be defective after the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster.

Thirty-three Conservatives rebelled, voting in favour of the protection, including Stephen McPartland, who have led minority Conservative calls to protect leaseholders, but 320 did not.

McPartland, who proposed the amendment in the first place, has described his party’s position as “morally unacceptable”.

“What we are doing today is shameful,” he told the Commons this week. “If this bill goes through even more leaseholders are going to face bankruptcy, even more are going to face huge issues around homelessness.”

McPartland said the debate was set to return to the House of Lords and he was still hoping for a government compromise. But since the vote, a stream of angry Conservatives voters have contacted the Guardian to say the government’s policy has forced them to rethink their lifelong support for the party.

“I am a lifelong Tory voter, but I am incensed at the clear injustice of how this is affecting so many young people,” said Peter Barnfield, 69, who owns a flat in the Decks complex in Runcorn, which has missing fire breaks set to cost up to £25,000 per leaseholder. “I cannot see this is justifiable. I’ll vote Labour. There are young people who have just got on the ladder and have been kicked in the teeth.”

Jacky Herger, 59, an accounts manager who cannot sell her flat at Ingress Park in Kent because of problems with firebreaks and render, said she feared she would lose her property if forced to pay.

“I have voted Tory all my life but after the fiasco of the vote I will not be voting for them again,” she said.

Sally Ann Burton, a company director in Portishead who owns apartments facing remediation costs of £60,000 each, said: “They are telling us you are better off to rent a home. They are abandoning the people working hard to own their homes.”

David Davis, the former shadow home secretary who also rebelled and voted to protect leaseholders, said his party’s position was burdening homeowners “which is a group we should approve of”.

“This is a regulatory failure on a sizeable scale and the state should shoulder the burden and not allow it to fall on anybody whether they vote Conservative or Communist,” he said.

The government has argued that forcing freeholders to pay could trigger legal action by building owners against the government to reclaim costs, while others could “walk away” from their ownership, making the problem worse. It has also launched £5bn in grants, but only to fix dangerous cladding and not other fire safety defects, and only on buildings more than 18 metres in height.

But its position is leaving some voters feeling “politically homeless”.

“The Conservatives are making themselves look like they’re not the party of homeownership, they are the party that don’t care,” said Alex Kubiakowska-Welch, 30, a Tory voter whose faulty block of flats in north-west London will not qualify for government funding. She said the issue had “absolutely” changed who she would vote for.

Tom Marshall, 31, faces costs of about £30,000 on his flat in the London borough of Bexley and will now vote against the party he has always supported.

“I’ve always taken the Conservative party at their word about being the party of homeownership,” he said. “I’ve had to do a bit of soul-searching. I know the Conservative party has a reputation for looking after its own, but it looks like they’re more keen on hanging on to party donors than protecting leaseholders.”

The Conservative party has been contacted for comment.

Latest twist in the long running saga of Honiton Town Council – East Devon’s answer to Handforth PC

Hannah Corfield honiton.nub.news

A Honiton councillor has been found in breach of the Code of Conduct, specifically related to treating people with respect and bullying.

Following a six-hour Standards Hearing conducted by a sub committee at East Devon District Council (EDDC) on March 12, three separate complaints made against Cllr John Taylor were upheld and sanctions imposed.

Concerns were raised following Cllr Taylor’s actions in relation to Tony McCollum in May 2020 when Honiton Street Market was undergoing Covid risk assessments. At the time, Mr McCollum was employed by Honiton Town Council as Town Development Manager.

Cllr Taylor’s comments submitted within a Covid compliance document were used as evidence.

Examples are detailed below:

• “No effort has been made by either Mr McCullum [sic] or Cllr Wyatt to consider measurements

*NB. Cllr Taylor misspells McCollum as McCullum

• Mr McCullum was there but was engrossed in consecutive phone calls

• Cllr Wyatt has not dealt with facts at all save cursory non-critical reference to three pages of documents provided by not authored by Mr McCullum

• That accords with the failure of Mr McCullum to pursue any of the above described work

• Mr McCullum and Cllr Wyatt mentioned the Cattle Market…it is astounding that such a dumb proposal has been made”

In a report issued yesterday (March 25) it said: “The Sub Committee found that Cllr Taylor’s conduct as set out above was a pattern of behaviour which amounted to bullying of Mr McCollum.

It went on: “The Sub-Committee found that in there was an imbalance of power in the Member/Officer relationship and that Cllr Taylor sought to sideline and undermine Mr McCollum including purporting to be acting on behalf of the Council.

“This exacerbated the impact of Cllr Taylor’s behaviour and the impact that it had on Mr McCollum.

“The Sub Committee felt that the undermining of Mr McCollum in relation to the work undertaken to consider and evaluate the re-opening of Honiton Street Market was malicious and insulting and undermined his standing and his work.

“The Sub Committee found that Cllr Taylor was misusing his power and that the impact of that behaviour was detrimental to Mr McCollum’s confidence and ability to perform his role.”

In mitigation Cllr Taylor asserted that he was acting to “save lives”, a claim that was not upheld by the Sub Committee.

As recommended by the Monitoring Officer, the following three sanctions have been imposed:

1. Censure of Cllr Taylor.

2. Cllr Taylor undertakes training organised by the Monitoring Officer in relation to the Code of Conduct and very specifically related to bullying and the impact of behaviour upon others and the relationships between officers and members.

3. That following that training Cllr Taylor is asked to issue a written apology to Mr McCollum with the wording to be agreed with the Monitoring Officer.

The report added: “The Sub Committee wished it to be noted that they are particularly concerned about the behaviour of Cllr Taylor, as set out in this decision and also as demonstrated during the Standards Sub Committee hearing.”

A recording of the Standards Hearing can be accessed here.

Plans to shake-up the way the national parks of the Westcountry are run, scrapping the national park authorities for Exmoor and Dartmoor and handing control to a national body in London are being considered by ministers.

Philip Bowern www.devonlive.com

As part of a wholesale change across England, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is proposing to bring all of the statutory functions and responsibilities of England’s protected landscapes together into a single organisational structure.

That would leave the 10 national parks in England, including Dartmoor and Exmoor, and the nation’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB) without local management or input, critics of the plan fear.

BBC Countryfile’s reporter Tom Heap says he has seen documents which suggest the Government want to merge England’s AONBs and national parks under a single National Landscape Service – cutting at a stroke the local input that currently comes from councillors and other members of the national park authorities.

The plan follows a review, by Julian Glover, carried out 18 months ago. He suggested a better coordinated management of England’s places of natural beauty was needed. But critics fear a one-sized fits all approach to landscapes as diverse as the Lake District, the South Downs and Dartmoor, for example, would be counterproductive, with powers transferred away from grassroots communities to Westminster.

Mr Glover has denied he envisaged scrapping local management of the parks. His plan for a National Landscape Service was one of around 25 recommendations made in his report. He told the BBC. “This isn’t about everything being run central. This is about common goals, done locally.”

At the moment the national parks of the Westcountry, like those across the country, are managed by a small team of professionals, led on Dartmoor by chief executive Kevin Bishop and on Exmoor by Sarah Bryan. They are answerable to a committee, made up of local people including councillors and other representatives, who set policy, decide on planning applications and help to manage the parks in line with the needs of those who live and work on them, as well as those who come to visit.

Opposition to the plan is building across the country. Richard Leafe, chief executive of the Lake District national park, told Countryfile: “I think the power really does need to be focused locally because this is where we need to go to work. We are from here, our families all live and work around here, we know the people of the Lake District very well.”

Those same arguments are being made on Exmoor and Dartmoor.

Kevin Bishop, chief executive of Dartmoor National Park Authority, told the WMN: “We still await a formal Government response to the Landscapes Review but if the BBC Countryfile story of ministers being minded to merge the 10 National Park Authorities and 34 AONBs into a single organisation is correct, then is it deeply concerning.

“For 70 years the management of Dartmoor National Park has involved the local community and other stakeholders. Establishing a central quango is a potential reform in the wrong direction: it would reduce or remove local accountability; remove a powerful champion for Dartmoor and its communities; weaken the local partnership working that is essential to almost everything we do; hamper our ability to respond quickly to meet Dartmoor’s needs; and reduce the resources available for Dartmoor National Park.”

He said the national park authorities were not against reform and there was merit in a National Landscapes Service as a “small but powerful advocate, at the heart of Government, for our most treasured landscapes.”

He suggested a ‘Landscapes Commissioner’ akin to the Children’s Commissioner could be a possible solution.

He went on: “Many of the report’s other recommendations are of more practical value than organisational change and would go further in helping us ensure that Dartmoor is even better for people and nature.”

Defra said: “The Landscapes Review set out a compelling vision for more beautiful, more biodiverse and more accessible National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“We welcome this ambition, and we have been actively engaging with stakeholders to inform our response to the Review, which we intend to publish in due course.”

The environment minister, Rebecca Pow, has promised to bring in legislation to reduce discharge of raw sewage into rivers. Pow said that she would be placing a legal duty on government to come up with a plan to cut dumping by water companies by September 2022.

Sandra Laville www.theguardian.com 

Pressure has been growing on water companies and ministers as evidence grows of the scale of the issue and amid increasing evidence of the poor state of rivers.

The Guardian revealed that in 2019, water companies discharged raw sewage from storm overflows for 1.5m hours in 204,000 incidents. These releases are permitted after extreme weather events, but the data revealed the frequent nature of the spills. None of England’s rivers meet quality tests for pollution, and just 14% are deemed to be of a good ecological standard.

Pow said the legal duty would mean that government would have to report to parliament on its progress on reducing sewage discharges. She said that she would also place a legal duty on water companies to publish data every year on their storm overflows.

The Environment Agency issues permits to allow water companies to release untreated human waste – which includes excrement, condoms and toilet paper – from storm overflows after extreme weather events, such as torrential rain, to stop water backing up and flooding homes. More than 60 discharges a year from a storm overflow should trigger an investigation by the agency.

Pow said: “Putting new commitments to improve our rivers into law is an important step forward to cut down the water sector’s reliance on storm overflows. This step is one of many – but an important one nonetheless – to provide greater protection for our water environment and the wildlife that relies on it.”

The government has been in discussion with Philip Dunne, chair of the environmental audit committee, who had been pursuing a private members’ bill to outlaw the discharge of raw sewage into rivers. The bill has now been withdrawn.

Dunne said: “I am delighted that the environment minister has honoured her pledge to seek a legislative route to give effect to the main objectives: from the government updating parliament on the progress it is making in reducing sewage discharges, to placing a duty on water companies to publish storm overflow data.”

Campaigners welcomed the focus on sewage pollution in rivers but questioned the delays in taking action to tackle the problem.

Hugo Tagholm, of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “For the first time since the 1990s, sewage pollution is back at the top of public and political consciousness … They must now manage and measure progress – and get as close to zero sewage emissions as possible.

“The evidence is already clear – water companies treat UK rivers like open sewers whilst making huge profits. Their actions, coupled with the impacts of agriculture, are destroying the blue arteries of our country. This simply isn’t good enough in this decade of ecosystem restoration.”

River campaigner Johnny Palmer, who is attempting to get a stretch of the River Avon outside Bath designated as bathing water to stop sewage discharges, said: “It’s great this is on the agenda. But agendas alone don’t create action.

“The problem is clear – shit is being pumped into our rivers by privately held monopolies. The solution is simple – water companies need to stop paying out such vast dividends to their offshore investors and put that money into infrastructure improvements. These can range from simple things like CSO ultraviolet treatment and attenuator tanks, through to larger and longer-term solutions like separate rainwater and sewage connections.”

The government refused to say whether the legislation would be included in the environment bill currently going through parliament – which would potentially provide the quickest route.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “We are identifying a suitable legislative vehicle to put these important measures on to the statute book as soon as possible.”

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Rivers Trust, said: “We welcome this further announcement from the government, which includes legal duties on the government and water companies. We look forward to understanding specific details on how this legislation will be introduced.”

The developers behind the controversial scheme to redevelop the former East Devon District Council HQ into an assisting living community are now ‘considering their options’ for the site.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

Planning permission, after an appeal against the initial refusal, was granted in January 2018 to convert the Knowle in Sidmouth into a 113-apartment assisted living community.

Lifestory eventually completed the purchase of the site in January 2020 – a month later than the legal agreement stipulated they were required to – but 14 months on, little in the way of substantial works at the site have been carried out.

And while Lifestory have confirmed that they have carried out some ‘initial works’ on the site and thus the planning permission for the redevelopment has been implemented, they are currently ‘reviewing the consented development’.

Marc Evans, regional managing director for Lifestory, said: “We’ve been carrying out some initial works on site lately and whilst the permission has been implemented, we’ve also been reviewing the consented development.

“For a number of reasons, including our experience elsewhere, we’re changing our focus in terms of the types of later living schemes we’re likely to be developing in future. As a result, we’re now considering options for the site’s redevelopment, which we’ve spoken to the Council about.

“We’ll continue to talk to the Council over the coming weeks and we’re keen to make sure that the site’s redevelopment is successfully achieved.”

In 2015, the council decided to relocate from its current headquarters at the Knowle in Sidmouth to new offices in Honiton and Exmouth. And to finance the move, the council agreed to sell its Knowle headquarters to Pegasus Life Ltd for £7.5million.

But those plans were initially thrown into jeopardy when a planning application by Pegasus Life for a 113-apartment assisted-living community for older people was refused by the council’s planning committee, only for panning inspector Michael Boniface to allow the appeal.

A CGI showing Pegasus Life’s planned development of retirement apartments at the Knowle in Sidmouth, which was refused planning permission by East Devon District Council in December

East Devon District Council then moved out of the Knowle in February 2019, with two thirds of the staff moving to the new Heathpark HQ in Honiton, and one third to the refurbished Exmouth town hall.

The Heathpark HQ cost the council £8.7m, while an additional £1.5m was spent on upgrading Exmouth town hall where one third of the council staff are to be based.

In January 2020, East Devon received the full purchase price of £9,019,605 from Lifestory for the site, plus an additional £38,000 as a penalty for the late payment.

The Knowle, Sidmouth

The site was handed over to Lifestory in 2020 for them to begin works to convert the former HQ into an assisted living community for older people, comprising of extra care units, staff accommodation and communal facilities, including a kitchen, restaurant, bar, café, a well-being suite, a gym, treatment rooms and pool, comprehensive landscaping and groundworks.

Construction phasing plans – a condition of the initial planning permission – were submitted and approved in November 2020, but after starting initial works to implement the planning permission, Lifestory are now considering the options for the site’s redevelopment.

The events of last March show time and again our politicians in Central Government, in Devon County and East Devon failing to rise to the challenge and show leadership, with a few shining exceptions.

Around a week ago we marked the anniversary of the start of the first Lockdown and, as this March ends, we begin to emerge from the third.

Owl has been looking back at what was being posted on the “Watch” during March 2020. The posts record local events being overtaken by a faltering National and Local response to the Covid-19 pandemic as it emerged.

Local events start with the collapse of Flybe and a couple of examples of EDDC making massive “investments” of taxpayers money, despite recently having incurred the cost of the “cost neutral” move to Blackdown House. Support for “Independent” EDDC Leader Ben Ingham drains away and a new power group begins to emerge.

Very quickly the local shortage of hospital beds, particularly ICUs becomes evident, but Conservative Councillors stick their heads in the sand. Cllrs Martin Shaw and Claire Wright are among a very small group who continue to speak out.

Even after Lockdown when all the vulnerable are instructed to self-isolate by staying at home and not to move outside for any reason, Abbeyfield continues to close the Shandford Care Home in order to “free up assets”. 

Readers may recall the seemingly deliberate ambiguity of instructions and guidance being issued from No 10. This is reflected in the local response to closing holiday lets etc. Essentially Cornwall and North Devon take the lead but DCC and EDDC drag their feet. Indeed we have the bizarre situation at the end of the month when DCC says enforcement will be removed from many parking places including coastal and tourist destinations. Whilst the Police, having declared a major emergency, have been discouraging people from travelling to just these places as being “not in the spirit” of government emergency legislation.

Below Owl has extracted the more interesting headlines from the EDW March 2020 archive. In most cases they are self explanatory, but in some cases Owl has added further comment. Readers should remember that the EDW posting date may lag the original event report by a day or so which may be significant as events gather pace towards the end of the month. Owl has flagged up some of the nationally important key events to help place things in perspective.

Owl wonders how prospective County Councillors’ electioneering material will stand scrutiny against this body of evidence? 

Where were we at the beginning of March 2020?

March started in the “Contain” phase of a Coronavirus strategy summarised as: Contain, Delay, Research, Mitigate. In other words the government was pursuing a “Herd Immunity” strategy. However, we don’t have an adequate contact track and trace system. Conservative governments have allowed it to wither, and Public Health suffered under the Lansley reforms.

March 2 Boris Johnson attends his first Covid COBRA meeting, having missed the previous five.

(Too busy arranging his divorce amongst other things)

EDW March 3

“When states sell out to developers, housing is no longer a human right” (We need to be reminded where priorities lie, even in a pandemic)

EDW March 4 

“Where has the money come from for the new road?” (Eileen Wragg asks where the money for the “Queen’s Drive” realignment is coming from – gets same “No answer” from Ben Ingham as from previous Tory administration)

“Breaking news: Standard claims Flybe loan has been rejected”  (Flybe collapses a couple of days later)

March 5 We can no longer contain Covid-19, so move into the delay phase

Prof Chris Witty told MPs that the country is moving into the ‘delay phase’ of the government’s battle plan, which sets out action that would be considered as: ‘Distancing strategies – such as school closures, encouraging greater home working, reducing the number of large-scale gatherings – to slow the spread of the disease throughout the population’. Prof Whitty told MPs it is now ‘highly likely’ there is ‘community transmission’ of coronavirus in the country. He said: ‘I’m expecting the number only to go up, and there are now several – not large numbers – but several cases where we cannot see where this has come from in terms of a clear transmission, either because someone has come directly from overseas or because they’ve had a close contact with someone who has recently returned from overseas.

EDW March 6

“Flybe’s owners did not put their money where their mouths were” 

“District council completes £2.7m purchase of Ocean” (Another major investment of “our” money made by the Ingham regime, more to come) 

“Axminster Carpets has been bought out of administration” 

“Flybe employees at risk of losing entire pensions” 

EDW March 7

Breaking News suspected Coronavirus EDDC HQ in lockdown” 

EDW March 8

“East Devon District Council offices to reopen after Coronavirus scare” (After “deep cleaning” )

“Coronavirus will brutally expose the effect of a decade of public service cuts ” (Warnings about the impact of a pandemic begin to circulate)

“MPs asked to solve social care crisis after Johnson admits he has no plan” 

EDW March 9

“More deep cuts loom as Devon’s NHS must save over £400m by 2024” (Money matters more than lives – how can we take this seriously in the knowledge of the cash later splashed around cronies and consultants?)

“Budget: cash for flood defences to be doubled – County Leader John Hart “off message”?” (Devon County Council Leader, John Hart’s solution to flooding, is to encourage a modern day dad’s army of individuals, villages and Parish Councils, where they care, to do more for themselves. Self-help, he said, is going to be the order of the day. Just weeks before the government announces a doubling of money in the budget!)

“£2.5m road improvements boost for East Devon ‘Airpark’ agreed by EDDC hours before Flybe collapse” 

March 10 Cheltenham Festival starts

The Festival opened on 10 March with at least 60,000 racegoers in attendance each afternoon, while 68,500 were at the track to see the Cheltenham Gold Cup on 13 March. Regarded in retrospect as a super spreading event 

EDW Same Day

“Coronavirus: Devon emerges as disease hotspot as first regional  breakdown of cases revealed” ( Related to skiing trips but ultimately contained) 

EDW March 11

“Villagers in Devon hotspot ‘going stir crazy’” (St Mary the Virgin church, Churston Ferrers, closed when a member of its 50-strong congregation tested positive on March 1. The Grammar School also closed for a week when one of its pupils who returned from a holiday in northern Italy tested positive for the virus. The villagers go “stir crazy”. A foretaste of what is to come.)

“National Park Update – Don’t mention it to EDDC” (Business as usual?)

“District council worker no longer displaying symptoms after Coronavirus scare” 

March 12 – We move into the “Delay” phase aka “Squash the Sombrero”

Boris Johnson announced new measures, including asking people with a cough or a temperature to stay at home.“I must level with you, I must level with the British public. Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”. Public health ceases testing in the community and retreats to testing principally within hospitals. We are now fighting the infection blind.

EDW March 14

“Johnson’s egocentric budget gives him everything and local councils nothing ” 

“Four County Councillors urge the Government to bring forward social distancing measures to reduce the impact of the Coronavirus” (County Councillors Claire Wright and Martin Shaw with two other members of the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee issue a statement, starting: We are gravely concerned that the people of Devon are being excessively exposed to the threat of death through the coronavirus, because the Government is failing to introduce the social distancing measures needed to contain the epidemic. Going on th draw attention to the elderly population and shortage of ICU beds)

“Breaking news: Fifth Councillor joins plea to bring forward social distancing ” (They are now joined by a fifth councillor – the remaining County Councillors DO NOTHING)

EDW March 15

“Robert Jenrick plans for the future to get Britain building” (Another virus starts to spread)

“In the coronavirus crisis, our leaders are failing us – Gordon Brown” 

“Herd immunity: will the UK’s coronavirus strategy work?”

EDW March 16

“Coronavirus: health experts fear epidemic will ‘let rip’ through UK” 

“What’s happening with the Exmouth seafront redevelopment?” 

March 17 NHS cancels all non-emergency surgery

Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveils a package of financial measures, including loans worth £330 billion, to help businesses through the coronavirus crisis and furlough.

EDW Same day

“The five County Councillors’ intervention on Coronavirus last week now looks prophetic.” 

These five were doing their job, scrutinising Health and Well-Being policies as they affect our lives locally on our behalf. Until now the Government has been following a strategy at odds with WHO advice and markedly different from the rest of the world. This has now changed as that strategy has been subject to expert scrutiny and in the face of reality.

Proper and fearless scrutiny is an entirely constructive process.

Although this group stressed they were acting in a personal capacity, Owl notices that not one of the majority Conservative members of the committee joined them.

March 18 Schools close

EDW Same day

“A glimpse of hope in dark times? A new power grouping in EDDC” Councillors from the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Independent East Devon Alliance, and an Independent come together to form a new political group. – The Democratic Alliance. They are now the largest group in EDDC

“Coronavirus sees councils cancel meetings and ask public not to go to offices” 

March 19 A second super spreading event takes place

Liverpool v Atletico Madrid bringing 54,000 people into the old atmospheric streets, pubs, bars, shops, chippies and stadium, with 3,000 from Madrid,

EDW Same Day

“How huge regional differences in intensive care bed numbers threaten coronavirus postcode lottery” “The south west looks most vulnerable in terms of ratios. It has the oldest population (so highest expected mortality) and lowest number of critical care beds per head of population. The modelling suggests it needs six times more than currently exists there (600 per cent).”

“Blackdown House – Old Owl makes an observation” Open office working …. well, no door handles but a long way for a sneeze to travel – and that narrow, tall, council chamber has people sitting cheek to cheek …..!

“Scientists have been sounding the alarm on coronavirus for months. Why did Britain fail to act? ” 

March 20 Mr Johnson orders pubs and restaurants to close.

Cinemas, nightclubs, theatres, gyms and leisure centres are also told to shut their doors. But the government declined to go further – for example, forcing non-essential businesses to close. Instead, the prime minister announces a new programme to “shield” the 1.5 million people at highest risk – who will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks.

EDW same day

“When this coronavirus crisis is over, the people won’t forget who tried to destroy the NHS” 

“Unintended consequences of mixed messages” (Concerning the hospitality sector – stay open or shut). Our two MP’s (and County leaders) have been silent on this.

EDW March 21

“Cornwall tells tourists to ‘stay away’ during coronavirus outbreak” 

“Devon and Cornwall Police have just declared a ‘major incident’” 

“If coronavirus really is a war, shouldn’t opposition parties be invited to join the effort?”

EDW March 22

“The NHS is not being “overwhelmed”.  It is paying the price for 10 years of austerity” 

“Coronavirus update: cabinet squabble over who is to be Leader’s ‘designated survivor’” (The significance of this will become apparent before the end of the month)

“Devon Council asks Government to address concerns over holiday parks” (In this case the North Devon District Council Chief Executive takes the lead, not until 6 April can Owl report that Devon County and East Devon join in – “better late than never”)

March 23: First lockdown announced 

Mr Johnson tells the UK public that they will only be allowed to leave their homes for limited reasons, including food shopping, exercise once per day, medical need and travelling for work when absolutely necessary. All shops selling non-essential goods are told to close, gatherings of more than two people in public are banned.

EDW Same Day

“Food banks are under threat due to coronavirus stockpiling and government inaction” 

“No 10 denies claim Dominic Cummings argued to ‘let old people die’” 

“‘These are not normal times’: MPs across Devon and Cornwall back #ComeBackLater”

EDW March 24

“Britain had a head start on Covid-19, but our leaders squandered it ” 

“East Devon libraries shut after U-turn on keeping self-service facilities open” 

EDW March 25

“A Tory MP Makes £100,000 A Year From A Company That Is Selling Private Coronavirus Tests For £120 Each” (Just the start!)

“The middle class are about to discover the cruelty of Britain’s benefits system ”

“NHS now likely to cope with coronavirus, says key scientist – Neil Ferguson” 

“Closure of East Devon’s offices and amenities” 

“Not too soon to make a provisional verdict: too little, too late” 

EDW March 26

“Coronavirus: Tracking app aims for one million downloads” (Ah – the first of the high tech, and high risk, “panaceas” announced)

“Scientific modelling is valuable – but remember the limitations – only we didn’t.” 

“Mixed messages from EDDC – shopping encouraged but parks, toilets and play areas shut! ” 

“Is EDDC the most irresponsible council in the country?” (Winter car parking rates extended until May across East Devon “in order to better support town centre businesses”.Owl wonders whether LINO (Leader in name only) Ben Ingham and his “Independent” sidekick Geoff Pook have completely lost their marbles.)

EDW March 27

“Coronavirus: Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive (tested very quickly – unlike other self-isolaters)”(But there is no designated survivor. The country is in great peril as he becomes severely ill. )

“Pandemic psychologist explains lavatory roll panic” 

EDW March 28

“Motorhome owner sent home from Devon after driving from Birmingham” 

“Despite a national lockdown care home residents are being shuffled from one home to another.” 

As the most vulnerable  in society were sent a letter instructing them to stay at home and not to move outside for any reason, the Shandford closure accelerated..

This relates to the closure of the Shandford Care Home in Budleigh. Owl found following this story through February and March, with some deeply personal accounts, utterly unbearable. Closing the home in normal circumstances was bad enough but to persist as the pandemic accelerated verges on the irresponsible. None of those involved: at Abbeyfield or County Councillor Christine Channon and her handpicked adviser Chris Davies intervened. To give him credit Simon Jupp tried, but to use a phrase coined by Sasha Swire: “Jumping Jupp Flash” jumped but failed to flash. 

The closure results from Abbeyfield’s declared aim of “freeing up assets” as it changes its business model to concentrate on larger homes. County Councillor Christine Channon tried to intervene during the autumn 2019 but her handpicked adviser Chris Davis claimed that Shandford was no longer viable in a report never made public. Owl received plausible arguments that there are grounds to challenge the case for non-viability. This heart wrenching saga can easily be followed by using “Shandford” in the EDW search box.

“Advice on protective gear for NHS staff was rejected owing to cost” 

EDW March 29

“Guided by the science – interview with No 10’s Infection guru” 

Although Professor Neil Ferguson is the man we can credit for persuading the government to make the screeching U-turn a couple of weeks ago. This passage from this interview with him by the Science Editor of the Times, worries Owl:

“Yet for other scientists the big problem with Ferguson’s model is that they cannot tell how it works. It consists of several thousand lines of dense computer code, with no description of which bits of code do what. Ferguson agreed this is a problem.

“For me the code is not a mess, but it’s all in my head, completely undocumented. Nobody would be able to use it . . . and I don’t have the bandwidth to support individual users.”

“‘We lobbied to stem the flow’ – MP praises efforts to ward off holidaymakers” Some of our MP’s did and some of ours didn’t. Owl has heard nothing about Neil Parish ‘s  views on this issue. Certainly EDDC didn’t take the firm lead shown by North Devon and North Norfolk District Council. More interested in business than in people? 

“Care homes refusing to take in patients ready to leave NHS hospitals” 

“Mass testing is the fastest route back to normal life” Jeremy Hunt, previous Health Secretary starts to criticise the government – the irony seem lost on him!

EDW March 30

“Mixed messages again, coronavirus crisis: Parking enforcement relaxed in Devon to help residents” 

DCC says enforcement will be removed from many parking places including coastal and tourist destinations.

Police seem to have other ideas and have declared a major incident.

Police have also been discouraging people from travelling to just these places as being “not in the spirit” of government emergency legislation. Does Cllr Stuart Hughes know what is going on?

“Government in talks over state takeover of Flybe?” False hopes – Collapsed airline Flybe’s administrator EY has denied reports that it is in negotiations with the government to buy the regional carrier out of bankruptcy in order to protect the UK’s battered aviation sector.

EDW March 31

“Our social distancing is working, says Sir Patrick Vallance” Early indications that infection rates may no longer be doubling every three to four days. The infection rate peaks two weeks later. But the real pressure on the NHS has yet to come. There is a delay between patients becoming infected with Covid-19 and becoming sick enough to need hospital treatment. Sadly, many of those sick enough to be admitted to hospital then need intensive treatment lasting many weeks. The crunch comes in April.

Post Script

It is now estimated that the dithering and delays during March 2020 cost 21,000 lives compared to acting just one week earlier.

• Application to discharge a planning obligation (Affordable Housing Scheme – Schedule 1, paragraph 2.1) on 19/0995/MFUL Land South Of Mosshayne Farm BlackhorseRef. No: 21/0838/V106 | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey and single storey rear extension and attached side carport The Lodge 26 Cranford Avenue Exmouth EX8 2PZRef. No: 21/0826/FUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of two cabinets to house data exchange for telecommunications within a fenced compound. Sidmouth Town Football Club Manstone Lane SidmouthRef. No: 21/0824/FUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Constuction of two storey side extension and single storey front extension 14 Coleridge Road Ottery St Mary EX11 1TDRef. No: 21/0823/FUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extension to front of existing garage, including canopy to entrance of studio. Summerhay Venn Ottery Road Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BURef. No: 21/0818/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side and rear extensions 2 Burrow Close Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BSRef. No: 21/0816/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reinstatement and upgrading of forestry tracks Side Downs Wood BroadclystRef. No: 21/0809/AGR | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed external and internal alteration of existing east wing classroom block. Colyton Grammar School Whitwell Lane Colyford Colyton EX24 6HNRef. No: 21/0800/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing conservatory, construction of new single storey rear extension; addition of weatherboard cladding to parts of existing cottage. 1 Jubilee Cottages Fore Street Seaton EX12 2AERef. No: 21/0801/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of part of rear of the Kingswood Hotel to be replaced with new parking spaces The Kingswood And Devoran Hotel The Esplanade Sidmouth EX10 8AXRef. No: 21/0799/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Proposed conversion of former chapel to 1 no. dwelling and provision of associated parking area The Chapel Sheldon Honiton EX14 4QURef. No: 21/0796/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey rear extension and single storey side extension. Insertion of first floor side window. 8 Hillside Colyton EX24 6NWRef. No: 21/0795/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey side/rear extension and front porch 64 Granary Lane Budleigh Salterton EX9 6ESRef. No: 21/0783/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Crown lift and thinning to crown approximately 20% to let more light into the rear of the property 7 Walls Close Exmouth EX8 4LYRef. No: 21/0786/TRE | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Formation of an all weather pitch and associated landscape works. Sidmouth C Of E Primary School 55 Woolbrook Road Sidmouth EX10 9XBRef. No: 21/0782/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To crown lift x 4 lime trees to a height of 5m over site only. Remove epicormic growth from main stems. Works required to improve access underneath the trees and improve relationship with the users of the site. Jurassic Fibre Ottery Moor Lane Honiton EX14 1BWRef. No: 21/0792/TRE | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Conifer : Cut over hanging branches back to the boundary wall. Parkhayes Stockland Honiton EX14 9BSRef. No: 21/0790/TCA | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing buildings to west of play area and construction of a new hall, staffroom, ancillary accommodation and learning resource area; Refurbish part of the existing building creating an additional classroom; Construction of a new two storey accommodation block to the south of play area; Construct a new library to the east of the play area; New Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) with a 3G surface Sidmouth C Of E Primary School Manstone Avenue Sidmouth EX10 9TJRef. No: 21/0781/MFUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed roofing over an existing open yard. Higher Hampton Farm Shute Axminster EX13 7PARef. No: 21/0784/FUL | Validated: Sun 21 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the construction of single storey extension and porch.Furze Farm Payhembury Honiton EX14 3HNRef. No: 21/0787/CPL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Approved

• Replace existing Conservatory with new single storey extension Combe Cottage Harcombe Lyme Regis DT7 3RNRef. No: 21/0788/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey rear extension 13 Elizabeth Road Seaton EX12 2DSRef. No: 21/0789/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed enlargement of existing dormer windows, replacement of conservatory with extension, replacement of existing open sided porch with an enclosed porch, construction of chimney (resubmission of planning application 20/0299/FUL) Conyers Green Dalwood Axminster EX13 7EHRef. No: 21/0738/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey rear extension 10 High Street East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton EX9 7DXRef. No: 21/0741/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey side/rear extension Livermore House Aylesbeare Exeter EX5 2DHRef. No: 21/0744/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of remaining derelict garage / workshop structure within curtilage of grade 2 Listed Old Mill, and replacement with a new single 3 bedroom house. The Green Door Old Mill Cottage King Street Honiton EX14 1AGRef. No: 21/0754/LBC | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey extension. Melody Cottage Burrow Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BPRef. No: 21/0765/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Install replacement windows to front of property Flat 4 Alma House Beacon Hill Exmouth EX8 1PBRef. No: 21/0771/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Install replacement windows to front of property Flat 4 Alma House Beacon Hill Exmouth EX8 1PBRef. No: 21/0772/LBC | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of shelter / summerhouse. 7A Yarde Close Sidmouth EX10 9JNRef. No: 21/0773/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Cedar Tree – remove historic pruning stubs and crown lift by removing the lowest five branches, creating a ground clearance of 4 metres when measured from the top terraced area. Cedar View Town Hill Broadclyst Exeter EX5 3EJRef. No: 21/0776/TCA | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 Mulberry tree: to be removed. Reasons: nuisance, blocking of light, risk of injury to elderly residents, staff and visitors to the home, and damage to property The Old Vicarage Ropers Lane Otterton Budleigh Salterton EX9 7JFRef. No: 21/0750/TRE | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Roofing over open livestock yard. Woodhayne Farm Whitford Axminster EX13 7NRRef. No: 21/0746/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Roofing over open slurry store Woodhayne Farm Whitford Axminster EX13 7NRRef. No: 21/0747/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Ash, T2 ash, T3 ash: dismantle all three trees to ground level as they are too close to the house and there is a risk of them falling onto the house and causing damage/harm. 15 Yallop Way Honiton EX14 2GNRef. No: 21/0748/TCA | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of trellis on top of existing fence 57 Hawkins Road Exeter Devon EX1 3UWRef. No: 21/0742/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of boundary treatment exceeding 2 metres in height. 55 Hawkins Road Exeter Devon EX1 3UWRef. No: 21/0743/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension, replacement garage roof & associated works. 10 Westaway Road Colyton EX24 6PARef. No: 21/0770/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retrospective planning application for a Groundsmans Building Cat And Fiddle Training Ground Sidmouth Road Clyst St Mary Exeter EX5 1DPRef. No: 21/0755/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of first floor extension above existing garage and two storey link side extension. 1 Seafield Avenue Exmouth EX8 3NJRef. No: 21/0777/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Demolition of remaining derelict garage/workshop structure within curtilage of grade 2 Listed Old Mill, and replacement with a new single 3 bedroom house The Green Door Old Mill Cottage King Street Honiton EX14 1AGRef. No: 21/0753/FUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Alterations and extensions to access stairway and change of use of first floor flat to a Dental Practice (D1) incorporating loft conversion with rear dormer window First Floor Flat 5 Victoria Road Exmouth EX8 1DLRef. No: 21/0731/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Ash : removal of limb with fungal fruiting body present. Removal of deadwood from throughout the crown. 5 Riverdale Orchard Seaton EX12 2RGRef. No: 21/0737/TRE | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey extension Silverdale Rockbeare Exeter EX5 2LWRef. No: 21/0721/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Removal of three sycamores within a group of several more in accordance of site meeting with Tree Officer, David Coleman in the Autumn 2020. Removal of one Ash and replace with another native tree. North Lodge Rousdon Lyme Regis DT7 3XWRef. No: 21/0718/TCA | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of timber structure to screen existing shipping containers (partially retrospective) Rhododendron House Woodhouse Lyme Road Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3XARef. No: 21/0699/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Formation of vehicular access Fordton Farmhouse The Green Whimple Exeter EX5 2TXRef. No: 21/0702/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey rear extension, side, front dormer windows (revision of 18/1240/FUL) Brambledale Westwood Way Seaton EX12 2DHRef. No: 21/0710/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of one glamping cabin for holiday let purposes. Smithenhayes Farm Luppitt Honiton EX14 4TRRef. No: 21/0709/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Formation of vehicular access; creation of doorway between lounge and utility room Fordton Farmhouse The Green Whimple Exeter EX5 2TXRef. No: 21/0703/LBC | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T1 Cherry: Single out to retain the one single Central upright stem. T2 Willow: Reduce by 4-5m and reduce spread by 2-3m to leave a height of 6m and radial spread of 3m. 2 Watering Court Fore Street Otterton Budleigh Salterton EX9 7HBRef. No: 21/0691/TCA | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of a new dwelling and construction of porch to existing dwelling 47 Foxhill Axminster EX13 5LHRef. No: 21/0679/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey front and rear extensions, dormer windows to front and rear, creation of first floor balconies to front and Juliet balconies to rear (revision of 19/2637/FUL) 33 Foxholes Hill Exmouth EX8 2DQRef. No: 21/0672/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Ground mounted canopy with retractable awning. The Pea Green Boat The Esplanade Sidmouth EX10 8BBRef. No: 21/0654/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed erection of two replacement dwellings following the demolition of the existing agricultural buildings, using Class Q permitted development (ref 20/1791/PDQ) as the fallback position Rutton Barns Rull Lane Whimple Exeter EX5 2NXRef. No: 21/0651/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of replacement boundary fence Flat 1 Sidbury House Buckley Road Sidbury Sidmouth EX10 0SLRef. No: 21/0646/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of first floor extension and insertion of first floor side window Meadowbrook Talewater Talaton Exeter Devon EX5 2RSRef. No: 21/0641/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• 4 x Lime trees, re-pollard to previous pollard points to maintain cyclical management of pollarded trees within a highway setting. Lime Tree Cottage Fremington Road Seaton EX12 2HXRef. No: 21/0644/TRE | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• First floor extension on side (south) elevation; 3no. rooflights front (east) elevation; 1no. window at first floor and 3no. rooflights on side (west) elevation Meadowbrook Talewater Talaton Exeter Devon EX5 2RSRef. No: 21/0642/LBC | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of log cabin 16 Hamilton Road Exmouth EX8 2LTRef. No: 21/0560/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Construction of extension to provide link between existing incidental outbuilding and main dwellinghouse, use of part of existing outbuilding to form annexe and other external alterations, including the insertion of new windows, doors and rooflights, the installation of solar panels, and the creation of a raised decking area Coombehayes Farm Wadley Hill Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3SURef. No: 21/0516/FUL | Validated: Tue 16 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of rooflight Flat 2 Crossingfields House 239 Exeter Road Exmouth EX8 3LSRef. No: 21/0507/FUL | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retain residential use of the static caravan situated on the site located at Hornshayes Farm Hornshayes Farm Stockland EX14 9BXRef. No: 21/0463/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of dormer window, porch and canopy The Granary Hampton Court Whitford Axminster EX13 7NJRef. No: 21/0240/FUL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement windows and doors: 1no. window at ground floor and 1no. window at first floor on rear north elevation; 1no. window at first floor and double doors on side west elevation and 1no. door and 2no. windows on front south elevation 4 Counters Court Mill Street Sidmouth EX10 8DWRef. No: 21/0238/LBC | Validated: Wed 17 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed renovation and internal and external alterations, including extensions to eaves, repairs to roof, new fencing, alterations to 2no. windows on the north elevation, replacement flooring, removal of ceiling, alterations to the stud walls and replacement windows (Partially retrospective) The Old Mill King Street Honiton EX14 1AGRef. No: 21/0178/LBC | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed renovation and alterations, including extensions to eaves, repairs to roof, new fencing and associated works (Partially retrospective) The Old Mill King Street Honiton EX14 1AGRef. No: 21/0177/FUL | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• G1 group of two sycamores reduce height by up to 2 meters from 10 meters to leave a finished height of 8 meters. Thin crowns by 10 % restricting cuts to 65 mm. T2 sycamore fell the tree has an extensive area of dysfunction and decay at the base. Removing this tree would give more room to the two Macrocarpas T3 sycamore reduction via thinning the tree is approximately 8 meters to leave a Finished height of 6 meters. 5A Cliff Terrace Budleigh Salterton EX9 6JYRef. No: 21/0149/TCA | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Widening of vehicular entrance and driveway (partially retrospective). Woodview West Hill Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1TURef. No: 20/2589/FUL | Validated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Install fire wall from first floor landing into roof space and create 1no. new loft hatch including adapting roof joists The Mews Cottage Knappe Cross Brixington Lane Exmouth EX8 5DLRef. No: 20/2479/LBC | Validated: Mon 15 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

Certificate of lawfulness for the construction of a single storey rear extension

5 Church Lane Payhembury Honiton EX14 3HS

Ref. No: 20/2007/CPL | Validated: Fri 19 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

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