It’s not often an old post gets resuscitated by readers of this blog, but this one – on the chequered past of Moirai Capital – the company chosen for the Exmouth seafront development, posted in July, has suddenly sprung to life again – hmmm:
Category Archives: Moirai Exmouth project
“Exmouth Splat” and Moirai Capital UK
The developers behind what some are calling “Exmouth Splat” is Moirai Capital UK.
Strange name Moirai – what does it mean?
“The Moirai or Fates were three sister deities, incarnations of destiny and life. Their names were Clotho, the one who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, she who draws the lots and determines how long one lives, by measuring the thread of life; and Atropos, the inevitable, she who chose how someone dies by cutting the thread of life with her shears. They were often described as being ugly and old women, stern and severe. Three days after a child was born, it was thought that the Moirai would visit the house to determine the child’s fate and life.
It seems that the Moirai controlled the fates of both mortals and gods alike. It may be that Zeus was the only one not bound by them, as an epithet that was used for him was Moiragetes (he who commands the fate). Other sources suggest, though, that he was also bound by the Moirai. It is also uncertain who their parents were; in some myths, they were daughters of Zeus and the Titan goddess Themis, the goddess of divine order. In others, they were daughters of Ananke, the personification of necessity.”
greekmythology.com
The moral of this story is: Beware Greeks bearing gifts especially those who spin, those who measure the inevitable and those who control your life, especially when they are able to cut it off with shears and who ars not sure of their parentage!
Exmouth Splat – spot the missing words
EDDC said:
“Our aim is to bring all-year-round attractions to the seafront, which will be enjoyed by a wider range of people – visitors and residents alike.
“Tourism is key to Exmouth’s long-term economic success and we want a seafront that combines the traditional and modern.
“We are working closely with our tenants to help them with the changes that are happening so that they can be part of this regeneration, if that is possible. Currently we have developers waiting to submit planning applications and there will be detailed future consultation on plans for the site.”” …
What’s missing? Nothing about the new luxury apartments that dominate this site!
And, as for those forthcoming “consultations” people might want to check that what is being consulted on is the scheme EDDC is actually working up with developers in secret meetings rather than something that will bear no resemblance to what is being discussed. Designs at consultation somehow don’t seem to pan out later on …..
Will luxury apartment really want to look out on noisy children playing in expensive enclosures, blocking their expensive views of the sea?
EDDC boards up legitimately trading cafe on Exmouth seafront without telling the owner
A seafront cafe owner was heading back to Exmouth today to find out just why his premises had been boarded up overnight.
Dean Gardner, owner of the popular DJ’s Cafe on Queen’s Drive, Exmouth, was in the Midlands looking after a sick relative, when he heard the bad news.
Mr Gardner, who has run the cafe for 11 years, said he had been told by East Devon District Council last month that the cafe could remain open for the “foreseeable future” in the run up to the redevelopment of the Exmouth seafront.
But in the early hours of October 1 a small number of contractors, went to the premises changed the locks and boarded up the premises up.
A notice, signed by Richard Cohen, Deputy Chief Executive EDDC, stated that council had taken possession of the premises.
The notice also indicates that: “as you have not made an application to the court before the expiry date (of the notice to terminate the lease) EDDc has exercised the right to take possession.”
Mr Gardner said: “It is a living nightmare. I restocked the cafe on the basis of being told that nothing was going to happen for the foreseeable future and now they have taken possession and boarded the place up without any notice.
“I have to say that when the Carriage Cafe was hauled away I wondered what was going on but I knew they had had enough and had a new site set up in Cornwall.
“I didn’t expect this to happen and I am now heading back to Exmouth straight away to find out what on earth is going on.”
Mr Gardner added that he had spent thousands of pounds on the cafe but was being offered “less than £15,000” in compensation.
According to campaigners opposed to the seafront development, EDDC said on its website that businesses operating in Queen’s Drive will be able to continue to trade beyond 30 September 2015
A Council spokesperson said previously: “East Devon District Council would like to make clear for the benefit of local residents, as well as its Queen’s Drive tenants and customers, that businesses currently operating at Queen’s Drive, who have formally notified the council that they wish to renew their tenancies, will continue to trade beyond 30 September 2015 until the necessary legal processes have been followed and concluded regarding their future.
“The council would like to apologise for any misunderstanding that has occurred.”
The cloning of Exmouth seafront begins
Many would say that the Carriage Cafe is the sort of thing many re-invented seafronts would compete for. and indeed Lappa Valley in Cornwall, to which it will locate, agrees.
“Exmouth Splat?” – report of yesterday’s public meeting
Conservative-led East Devon District Council (EDDC) was branded as undemocratic, secretive and devious at a packed meeting in Exmouth yesterday.
Campaign group Save Exmouth Seafront (SES) called the public meeting in the town’s All Saints Church Hall to fight EDDC’s latest grandiose plans for the redevelopment of Queen’s Drive.
Independent Exmouth councillor Megan Armstrong, SES Acting Chair Louise MacAllister, and SES researcher Tim Todd described the background to the project, known originally as “Exmouth Splash” and a lively, sometimes angry, audience expressed strong opposition to it.
Interesting revelations emerged:
· It was claimed that leading EDDC councillors and officers have a clear agenda to sell Exmouth’s assets to help fill the gaping hole in their revenue caused by Government cuts [and their expensive move from Sidmouth? ed].
· The plans for Exmouth have been hatched in secret meetings where minutes are not taken, the public are excluded, and councillors sworn to secrecy.
· EDDC’s “extensive” consultation is a sham – based on 518 replies to a 2011 publication, and comments from 14 pupils at Exmouth College!
· SES’ own recent survey confirms strong support for keeping the traditional charm of Exmouth seafront and the popular local businesses established there for many years.
· These modest local businesses have been “sabotaged” by EDDC with 12-month leases making investment and expansion difficult so they can be replaced by big outside speculative developers.
· Extensive residential and retail development including a cinema and expensive “attractions” will reduce children’s play areas from over 14000 square metres to about 3000.
· A new Water Sports Centre is planned at the most dangerous point of the beach, and entails a diversion of Queen’s Drive costing one and a half million pounds.
The meeting ended with the SES desks swamped by volunteers eager to help the campaign to reclaim the future of their town from bureaucrats and speculators who have no respect for what makes a place unique, special and loved.
Exmouth seafront meeting today
Save Exmouth Seafront are holding a public meeting on Saturday 26th September at 2.00pm in All Saints Church Hall, Exeter Road, Exmouth EX8 1QD. This meeting will be chaired by Lympstone Councillor Ben Ingham, Leader of both the East Devon Alliance and the opposition group of Independent Councillors at EDDC.
If you are interested in what is happening to Exmouth Seafront and would like your views to be considered, please come along and show your support and think about offering them help if you possibly can.
Discussion about the campaign and more information about Save Exmouth Seafront can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/Exmouthsplash.
A press release from Save Exmouth Seafront has been reported by the Exeter Express and Echo here.
source: eastdevonalliance.org.uk
Exmouth seafront: the latest (but not last) omnishambles!
“PRESS RELEASE
Seafront Survey initial findings conflict with District Council’s claim
Following East Devon District Council’s claim last week that it’s development proposals for Exmouth seafront had clear public support, the Save Exmouth Seafront (SES) campaign has seriously challenged this statbement.
SES is now analysing the Exmouth Seafront Survey which has had more than 1200 respondents. This far exceeds the number of respondents to the District Council’s two consultations in 2011(Masterplan) and 2013 (The Splash) upon which the seafront proposals are based.
Preliminary findings from the SES survey point to a large majority of respondents opposing the current plans for redevelopment.
Many respondents suggest that improving existing facilities is the best way to revitalise Exmouth seafront. This could be best achieved by supporting current traders and maintaining its highly valued and unique character for residents and visitors alike.
As survey coordinator for SES Louise MacAllister said:
“Preliminary findings clearly suggest that residents feel ignored by East Devon District Council. That the council continues to press ahead with the proposals only serves to support the argument that they do not listen to residents; for as these preliminary survey results strongly suggest, the respondents do not support the current plans for a number of reasons.”
The Save Exmouth Seafront group will be holding a public meeting to discuss and act on these concerns at 14:00 on Saturday 26 September 2015, to be held at All Saints Church Hall, Exeter Road, Exmouth.”
Further evidence for the Local Plan and EDDC tries to pass the buck to the National Trust and Woodland Trust for required open spaces
Mr Thickett said he would allow the participants at the housing session an opportunity to see and comment on the Council’s further submissions.
The further submissions can be accessed here:
http://eastdevon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/emerging-plans-and-policies/the-new-local-plan/examination-and-hearing-sessions-and-further-consultation-at-april-2015/august-2015-evidence/#article-content
If you wish to make any comments on the new evidence and submissions only; on other matters will not be accepted, please submit these comments to me the Programme Officer by 30 September 2015.”
Our comment:
The EDDC “evidence” does not inspire us with enough confidence that sufficient robust evidence has been supplied by EDDC, particularly in respect of Habitat Mitigation obligations.
Many aspects have been left for the Inspector to decide because Natural England and EDDC cannot agree that enough has been done to safeguard special sites.
It also says that the Exmouth Splash Masterplan as it stood at the last hearing, may well not be the one that Exmouth ends up with but they don’t see why this should hold up the Local Plan.
“Exmouth Splash” project independent Facebook Forum
https://www.facebook.com/Exmouthsplash
NOT an EDDC puff job!
Meeting: Tuesday 11th August. 7:30 p.m. The Harbour View Cafe, Esplanade, Exmouth.
Re ‘The Splash’.
“In light of the strength of feeling expressed on this [Facebook] page and elsewhere, and the conflicting and uncertain information from EDDC, the purpose of this meeting is to form a group to argue for suspension of the scheme and for a proper consultation to take place.’
It would be helpful if those who plan to come could let us [the Facebook group] know by commenting below [ on the Facebook page].
Please keep an eye on this [Facebook]page for any further updates.”
…”Hi all, for those who are unable to attend the meeting but would like to be involved, we have set up an email account – exmouthsplashdiscussion@gmail.com – if you have any particular ideas you would have liked to bring to the meeting, or would like to offer particular help, please do drop us an email to let us know.”
East Devon Watch 