This is my recollection of the meeting today as far as it affects Sidmouth.

1. EDDC had omitted the housing at Woolbrook, but had continued with the 5Ha of Employment land at Sidford.
2. EDDC councillors Stuart Hughes, Christine Drew, (by letter),  were recorded as being totally against the Employment Land proposal,
3. EDDC councillor, P Sullivan, (on Development Management  Committee), was also recorded as being strongly against the proposals.
4. STC Councillor Graham Trotman was also strongly against.
5. Reasons given were;-
   1. No perceived need or evidence
   2. In AONB
   3. Traffic and Infrastructure problems.
   4. Alexandria Road site underutilised
   5. Access to AE could be improved.
6. Both Claire Wright and Robin Giles, (EDDC independent councillors), spoke against the proposals. The arguments against were;
   1. All consultant’s reports came to the conclusion that there was no need for retail or Employment  Land. Every piece of evidence was against it.
   2. East Devon Business Forum , (businesspeople), declared hem as “flawed” and recommended increased allocations
   3. Growth rate over estimated
7. All seemed OK until Kate Little EDDC Head of Economy), gave a very partisan speech, saying that “ there was a need because developers had indicated their strong interest  to her, and that Traffic was ok. I believe that this was special pleading on behalf of Developers
8. M Williamson, Chair of DevConMan, said that the next 4 weeks were our opportunity to prepare a plan that we were all happy with; he recognised the problems.
9. Councillor Troman also said at the end of the discussion on Sidmouth, that he was aware that a Supermarket Developer was interested in the Alexandria Road site.

Sylvia Brownlee, Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce