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11 Jul 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, AONB, EDDC, Local Plan, Natural England

Local Plan hearings

We can do no better than reproduce the report of Susie Bond, Feniton’s hard- working Independent councillor, from her blog:

“This week has been an extraordinarily important week for the whole of East Devon.

EDDC’s headquarters in Sidmouth hosted the hearing sessions for the Examination in Public of the Local Plan before Planning Inspector, Anthony Thickett. His role is to listen to evidence from all parties as to whether East Devon’s Local Plan is worthy of being found sound.

The importance of the Plan should not be underestimated. For years, East Devon has found itself floundering in a planning vacuum, reliant on the vagaries of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to drive planning, so that development is currently happening right across the district in inappropriate locations that were not of the choosing of the electorate nor, on some occasions of the District Council itself.

In my own ward, three sites in Gittisham and Feniton (a total of 382 houses) are in the process of development.

Much has been written about the parlous state of planning under the previous and current Government which has allowed insufficient time for district councils to put a plan in place, but this week all that was put to one side as participants thrashed out the finer points of East Devon’s plan.

The Housing session focused on the very high levels of housing suggested … 950 houses per year proposed by EDDC (whose only masters are the electorate) against the ludicrous levels of housing proposed by the developers (whose only masters are their shareholders).

Part of the discussion in the Hearing session was on Strategy 27, which lists the most sustainable villages in East Devon (including Feniton) and proposes that development should happen only within their built-up area boundary (BUAB) and any development outside the BUAB should be decided according to a community-led Neighbourhood Plan (NP).

Feniton has been working on its NP for the best part of a year now, engaging in public consultation events and leafleting every household in the parish. Neighbourhood Plans are enshrined in the Localism Act of 2011 and are designed to allow communities to have their say about how they develop, not just in the matter of housing, but about every aspect of community life.

Groundhog Day

Discussions on housing numbers waged back and forth for an entire day and I had the distinct feeling of déjà vu. The same developers who argued for higher housing numbers in March 2014 at the first housing session for the Local Plan were back to exercise the same arguments.

It was all so predictable.

The session heard seemingly endless representations from developers who had options on various parcels of land to the effect that their site was in the most sustainable location in East Devon. We heard from the Crown Estates which has land in Axminster. Their representative expounded at length on four separate occasions that his site should go forward.

Land at Uplyme was put forward to help the good people in Lyme Regis on to the housing ladder.

Feniton was not named at all, but developers with interests in Feniton rounded on Strategy 27 saying villages where Neighbourhood Plans are being carried out will just “pull up the drawbridge” and refuse any further development.

The excellent Dr Margaret Hall of East Devon CPRE flew in at this point saying she knew of several Neighbourhood Plans where development was considered to be vital for the community.

Indeed, the whole point is that communities want to be in charge of where that development should happen and not have landowners and developers calling the shots.

Brickbats to Natural England

Woodbury common(2)Natural England took up an immense amount of time arguing at every turn about horseshoe bats, Pebblebed heaths and how they hadn’t been consulted on planning applications. Several of us sat there with our mouths agape and eyes agog at such a misrepresentation of the reality of planning in East Devon.

Trying to get Natural England to comment on the major planning application at Hayne Lane in Gittisham was something of a marathon. The site will have an effect on the setting of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and therefore merited comment from a consultee such as Natural England. After numerous phone calls, they finally agreed to comment last year having argued that they didn’t have time to comment on any applications unless they were actually within the AONB.

As one onlooker to proceedings pointed out they did not expect Natural England to be the stumbling block and nor, they thought, did the officers present. Meanwhile, one Government department is telling us to stop putting barriers up to planning and another is stopping us creating the blueprint for development because of bird protection and access for dog walkers!

The Planning Inspector was quite concerned that Natural England hadn’t been involved as a consultee in the entire process of drawing up the Local Plan. As he closed the hearing sessions, he suggested that Natural England’s representative, Laura Horner, shut herself in a darkened room with planners to resolve her concerns. He also asked for a detailed report from planners proving that EDDC has a 5-year land supply.

East Devon awaits his verdict with interest … and not a little trepidation.

https://susiebond.wordpress.com/

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East Devon Watch

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11 Jul 2015

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Austerity cuts, Axminster, Exmouth, NHS (local), Ottery St Mary, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

The last battle for local hospital services

From the blog of Independent DCC Councillor Claire Wright (Ottery Sy Mary). We assume local MP Hugo Swire will be at the meeting … in our dreams.

The last battle. D-day for Ottery Hospital – please attend this meeting!

The decision on the fate of Ottery St Mary Hospital will be made next Thursday (16 July), and the Northern, Eastern And Western Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) appear as determined as ever, to close it.

Also at risk across East Devon, are all of Axminster Hospital beds, and minor injuries units at Ottery, Axminster, Sidmouth and Seaton Hospitals.

The CCG’s board papers, published yesterday, argue strongly in favour of closing Ottery Hospital’s beds and minor injuries unit and against any other option, including the recommendations presented by the stakeholder group – a group set up by the CCG in January.

The paper, in my view, has totally misrepresented the stakeholder group’s recommendation on hospital beds, by implying that the group supported “consolidation” as a long-term measure (moving hospital beds out of Ottery and Axminster to other hospitals).

The stakeholder group’s recommendation was that beds should remain at all our community hospitals and a minor injuries service should be retained in each town.

The paper that goes before the CCG’s governing body on Thursday states that the cuts will be implemented immediately once a decision has been made.

The paper acknowledges the significant projected population increase in East Devon over the next few years – over 11 per cent by 2026), but seems to believe that the best way of handling this is to move community hospital beds to other nearby hospitals.

At the last health and wellbeing scrutiny committee meeting on 18 June, the CCG’s update report, scarcely mentioned the work of the stakeholder group, bar a passing reference. Certainly it did not allude to its recommendations, despite the group being established by the CCG in January!

You can view discussions at this meeting here. The speakers names are now included within the webcast – http://www.devoncc.public-i.tv/…/portal/webcast_inte…/159084

I have not been able to find any mention of the CCG’s plans for Ottery Hospital, if the beds and minor injuries unit closes, yet paperwork claims that the stakeholder recommendations will cost an additional £200K. And the savings from closing all the beds at Axminster and Ottery will be £500,000.

The existing 15 bed stroke unit housed at Ottery is set to move to a site in Exeter – probably the RD&E. Ottery is viewed as an interim measure.

One of the stakeholder group’s recommendations included that no changes should take place until integration with a new provider had taken place (a decision about who gets to run local community hospitals – likely to be the RD&E).

But the papers submitted for next Thursday’s meeting tacitly admit that providers have not even been consulted with.
The CCG makes a strong case for its own proposals and dismisses the alternatives.

To view the recommendations turn to page 110 of the papers, in this link –

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Claire/My%20Documents/Downloads/GB%20Pack%20PUBLIC%2016%20July%202015.pdf

The meeting starts at 1pm on Thursday 16 July, at Newcourt Community Centre, Exeter. It is open to the public, but please bear in mind that the relevant agenda item isn’t likely to start until after 3pm.

It is absolutely vital that there is a big public attendance from across East Devon, as this is when the decisions are made.

There is no facility for public speaking unfortunately (I did ask twice but was refused). However, there is the option of submitting questions in advance, in writing.

http://www.claire-wright.org

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East Devon Watch

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11 Jul 2015

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Asset Management Group, Asset sweating, Beach huts, EDDC

Sidmouth beach huts meeting: Councillor Pook gets it in the neck – again

Futures Forum of the Vision Group for Sidmouth

PUBLIC MEETING TO CONSIDER EDDC PROPOSALS FOR BEACH HUTS

Kennaway House, Sidmouth: Tuesday 7th July 2015

Minutes/Report

Apologies from: Officer Donna Best (EDDC Property), Cllr Iain Chubb (EDDC StreetScene Portfolio), Cllr Stuart Hughes (EDDC Sidmouth/Sidford), Cllr Dawn Manley (EDDC Sidmouth/Sidford), Cllr Simon Pollentine (STC Tourism Portfolio), Cllr Ian Thomas (EDDC Finance Portfolio)

Attendance: approximately 45 members of the public.
Councillors at the meeting: Cllr David Barratt (EDDC Sidmouth Rural), Cllr Matthew Booth (EDDC Sidmouth Town), Cllr John Dyson (EDDC Sidmouth Town), Cllr Cathy Gardner (EDDC Sidmouth Town), Cllr Roger Giles (EDDC Chair, Scrutiny), Cllr Geoff Pook (EDDC Chair, Asset Management Forum), Cllr Marianne Rixson (EDDC Sidmouth Sidford)

The Chair’s notes/agenda can be found here:
https://www.visionforsidmouth.org/media/93781/vgs-futures-forum-7jul15-beach-huts-debate-chairs-notes.docx

Every attendee was invited to address the meeting. Comments included:

Cllr Roger Giles (EDDC Chair, Scrutiny) confirmed that the issue would be on the agenda of the Scrutiny Cttee of 17th September.

Cllr Geoff Pook (EDDC Chair, Asset Management Forum) clarified that the previous AMF had decided to consider ‘best value’ and ‘market price’. The new Cttee will review the situation, identify the way forward and make proposals.
The EDDC questionnaire was only one part of the current consultation; Cllr Pook has attended other meetings on the issue in the District. He understood the depth of feeling and that the document which had been sent out was flawed.
Cllr Pook would be willing to receive correspondence on the issue and will consider concerns by e-mail: gpook@eastdevon.gov.uk

Tom Griffiths, (former Sidmouth beach hut franchisee) pointed out that in 1962 proposals had been made for ‘double-decking’ of huts at Jacob’s Ladder.

Dr John Twibell (Chair, Devon Plant Heritage) outlined the value of the beach garden at Clifton beach, planted together with Sidmouth in Bloom.

To summarise the conclusions from the meeting:

> There was overwhelming opposition from all parties to ‘commercial development’ along Clifton walkway or the beach in general, in that this would devalue the resort, rather than enhance it. It was felt that Sidmouth’s beaches, including its huts, were family-friendly – and that any new arrangement could seriously compromise the welcoming feel of the resort.

> It was recognised that each seaside town in East Devon is different and that this diversity should be recognised in any proposals.

> It was felt that the long-term sustainability of Sidmouth’s seafront should be the priority. Any plans for beach huts should be included in the current Beach Management Plan.

> It was recognised that the waiting lists were long. Should extra huts be required, alternative sites could include:
– one of the terraces behind the existing Jacob Ladder huts;
– on the Esplanade below the Belmont Hotel.

> A design competition for any new huts would excite positive interest.

> A system of ‘lockers’ was suggested to supplement the provision of beach huts.

> There should be a return to a flexible tenure for the whole year, with approx. 10 huts hired out on a weekly basis during the peak summer season, allowing tourists to benefit. Local residents enjoying a long-term let have been more than prepared to accept this arrangement. This could ensure a doubling of current income – as well as a balance between different types of user.

> It was suggested that a lottery system for the out-of-season period might be a fair system of allocating beach huts in the future.

> The voluntary rotation and sharing of the use/tenure of huts between tenants should be recognised and encouraged – as should the value of the huts as a focal point for the local community and for ‘regular tourists’. A set of different rents/rates for huts would disrupt a sense of social cohesion.

> There were fears that a system of ‘highest bidder’ could bring about a similar situation to that in many parts of Cornwall where ‘wealthy outsiders’ have bought up huts at the expense of local people – who, it was felt, should be the priority. Whilst it was understood that EDDC were facing budget cuts, it was important that an equitable solution be found, that tenants not face eviction and that rents be affordable.

> It was generally felt that the consultation had been based on erroneous information, that it had not been fair and open, that proper responses to concerns had not been addressed and that, consequently, any auctioning process would lack legitimacy.

> The financial basis of the proposals was not clear, including the method for calculating the rates, and the final profit made on the huts.

> On the separate but related issue of street trading, there was also overwhelming opposition to relaxing regulations any further. Sidmouth’s retail and hospitality industry relies on the peak weeks during the tourist season – and any provision of commercial services on the beach could jeopardise Sidmouth as an all-year-round resort.

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

10 Jul 2015

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Environment (local)

Build on the green belt; who says – developers, of course!

Green belt is mostly found around London and the Home Counties green field is what we have but no doubt developers MUCH prefer it to brownfield!

http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/266/f/3496/s/4803fe85/sc/31/l/0L0Sindependent0O0Cnews0Cuk0Cpolitics0Cbuild0Eon0Ethe0Egreen0Ebelt0Eto0Esolve0Ethe0Ehousing0Ecrisis0Esay0Edevelopers0E10A3815290Bhtml/story01.htm

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East Devon Watch

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10 Jul 2015

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DCC, Devolution, EDDC, Environment (local), Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation

Devolution, Relocation – spanners in works

“Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation”, published by the government today:

“15.3 To rebalance the economy, cities need effective governance. OECD research has shown that cities around the world with fragmented governance structures have up to 6% lower levels of productivity than those that do not.

15.4 England currently has 353 local authorities with over 18,000 elected members.5 This can lead to fragmented decision making and blurred accountability; even within the same city region, urban and suburban leaders do not always work together on shared objectives. The experience of London and other major international cities suggests that a directly elected mayor can cut through these difficulties. The government has therefore been clear that devolution of significant powers will rest on cities agreeing to rationalise governance and put in place a mayor to inspire confidence.”

Click to access Productivity_Plan_print.pdf

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10 Jul 2015

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Asset sweating

Even the Queen can’t avoid “sweated assets”!

“The sale of two government buildings in central London will compromise national security and put the Queen at risk, Lord Reid, the former Home Secretary has said.

Admiralty Arch and the Old War Office, in the heart of Whitehall, were sold to private developers for almost £200 million and are to be turned into luxury hotels.

But peers expressed grave concerns about the plans, warning that they were on the State Procession route between Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster and that terrorists could use them to target the Royal Family.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11730492/Sale-of-two-government-buildings-to-hotel-developers-will-put-Queen-at-risk-peers-warn.html

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10 Jul 2015

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Rural communities

Mobile phone masts up to 15m high will no longer need planning permission

“The Chancellor wants to scrap rules which allow councils to block plans for masts taller than 15metres which could help with the rollout of 4G coverage. It is part of a plan to improve the UK’s productivity.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3156243/Huge-mobile-masts-spring-without-planning-permission-Osborne-demands-end-phone-web-blackspots.html

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10 Jul 2015

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Misc

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A brownfield site conundrum

So, under the new relaxed planning laws, I put in a planning application on a brownfield site I own to provide 100 homes made out of plain, old second-hand shipping containers … nothing fancy, just rusty shipping containers with power and sewerage services and ultra-basic internal fittings.

Do I get automatic permission?

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East Devon Watch

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10 Jul 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, Development Management Committee, Devolution, EDDC, Environment (local), Land Supply, Local Plan, National Planning Policy Framework, Neighbourhood Plans, Rural communities

It’s true: localism is dead – murdered!

“Automatic planning permission would be granted on many brownfield sites in England in an attempt to boost house-building, under government plans.

Ministers would also get powers to seize disused land, while major housing projects could be fast-tracked, and rules on extensions in London relaxed.

Chancellor George Osborne said reforms were needed because Britain had been “incapable of building enough homes”.
It follows a warning this week’s Budget would cut investment in new homes.

The proposed changes feature in a 90-page document to address Britain’s productivity record, to be released later.
It is aimed at boosting British workers’ output levels, which experts say lag behind other leading nations – an issue dubbed the “productivity puzzle”.

The chancellor’s Fixing the Foundations package has been billed by the Treasury as the second half of the Budget.

Upwards extensions

BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said Treasury sources argue house-building boosts productivity, as it is helpful to have workers living close to their workplaces.
Housing is just one part of a broad plan, they say.

The report also features proposals on higher education, transport, devolution of powers to cities and trade.

George Osborne says reforms are needed to planning laws so more homes are built.

Under the new proposals – which will need to be approved by MPs – automatic planning permission would be granted on all “suitable” brownfield sites under a new “zonal” system, the Treasury said.

The term brownfield refers to land that has previously been developed but is vacant or derelict.

Another change would see ministers seek to scrap the need for planning permission in London for developers who want to extend buildings to the height of neighbouring properties.
Planning powers will be devolved to mayors in London and Manchester, while enhanced compulsory purchase powers will allow more brownfield land to be made available for development.

There would also be new sanctions for councils that do not deal with planning applications quickly enough, and the government would be able to intervene in councils’ local development plans.

House prices

This week, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned government plans for rent reductions in social rented homes would hit housing investment.

The OBR said 14,000 fewer affordable homes would be built and cut its forecast for investment in private housing by 0.7%.

It also said house prices were expected to rise compared with both consumer prices and household incomes.

A Treasury source said the OBR assessment considered only the impact of the Budget and did not reflect the new policy.
In his Mansion House speech in June 2014, Mr Osborne said 200,000 permissions for new homes would be made possible by 2020 as councils put in place orders to provide sites with outline planning permission.

Housing ladder

The Treasury said the new plan went further – in effect stripping away the need for any planning permission in some brownfield locations.

The Conservative manifesto pledged to “ensure that 90% of suitable brownfield sites have planning permission for housing by 2020”.

In a statement released before the publication of the productivity plan, Mr Osborne said: “Britain has been incapable of building enough homes.

“The reforms we made to the planning system in the last Parliament have started to improve the situation: planning permissions and housing starts are at a seven-year high.
“But we need to go further and I am not prepared to stand by when people who want to get on the housing ladder can’t do so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33472405

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9 Jul 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, Land Supply, Planning System

New planning policy to be announced tomorrow: upwards, outwards, fast, faster, ignore locals

“… A new “zonal” system, as employed in many other countries, which will give automatic planning permission on all suitable brownfield sites, removing unnecessary delays to redevelopment.

Power for the government to intervene and have local plans drafted setting out how housing needs will be met when local authorities fail to produce them, and penalties for those that make 50% or fewer planning decisions on time.

Analysis Housing and the budget: what you need to know:

In a budget with a heavy focus on housing, we’ve rounded up the key policies from the chancellor’s briefcase.

Stronger compulsory purchase powers to bring forward more brownfield land and devolution of planning powers, including powers over land, to the mayors of London and Manchester.

The right for major infrastructure projects that include elements of housing development to be fast-tracked through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure regime – meaning the project does not need to go through full democratic consultation.

Proposals to end to the need for planning permission for upwards extensions for a limited number of storeys up to the height of the adjoining building in the capital.

A package to support small and medium-sized housebuilders, including new sanctions for local authorities not processing smaller planning applications on time, with earlier fee refunds.

Local authorities say planning delays are caused by the lack of resources in planning departments, but the government is likely to provide a blueprint for how these planning requests should be handled.

Osborne fought a number of bruising encounters with conservationists in the last parliament, but seems to be determined to do so again on the basis that the supply of land at the right price has been the single biggest factor holding back housebuilding.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/09/osborne-tears-up-planning-laws-londoners-build-extra-storeys-on-homes

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East Devon Watch

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9 Jul 2015

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Beer, Branscombe, Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Coastal Communities Fund extended for further 5 years

The Coastal Communities Fund, which was launched in 2012, will make £90m in funding available until 2020/2021.
Seaside towns across the UK will be able to bid for a share of the funding.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33467461

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East Devon Watch

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9 Jul 2015

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Freedom of Information Act

Now THAT’S a local newspaper!

http://localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23676:newspaper-wins-ftt-hearing-over-naming-of-unpaid-council-tax-councillor-&catid=59&Itemid=27

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East Devon Watch

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9 Jul 2015

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EDDC, Environment (local), Local Plan, Transparency

East Devon District Council and “dark rooms”

At yesterday’s local plan hearingss Natural England spoke of mitigation strategy and associated habitats assessment discussions which should not take place in “in a dark room”.

What on earth could they mean!

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9 Jul 2015

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Voting

Majority of voters will be over 55 at the next election

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11721749/Liam-Byrne-Labour-must-target-the-over-55s-or-stay-in-Opposition-for-10-years.html

Well that’s the pension triple lock and bus passes protected then!

Shame if you are a poor student who must now pay your maintenance allowance back but presumably they expect you not to vote next time round or be totally squashed by those pesky over-55s!