After public feedback on the unsuitability of its original plans, Pegasus Life has told the Sidmouth Herald that “the design of the development has been altered to include pitched roofs and an architectural style more in keeping with Sidmouth”. But the tall 4-storey building pictured on the Herald’s front page (Friday 1st April 2016) shows no apparent trace of “the architectural style” which embellishes Sidmouth’s uniqueness.

The justification for more than doubling the number of 50 homes allocated for Knowle in the Local Plan, is not made clear. The developer, Pegasus Life, now proposes 115 homes, slightly less than the 126 they had initially proposed.

If the now formally submitted plans are approved, a proposed private retirement complex will replace what have been publicly-owned buildings at Knowle. The footprint of the new buildings will exceed that of the current buildings, extending into the upper terraces, arguably the best part of the historic parkland.

For reference, the ‘architectural style’ of the present Knowle building (a former hotel), is pictured below, showing how it blends into the landscape, and the south-facing facade and upper terraces.

 

The new building may be considerably higher than the present one, as the Futures Forum blogspot illustrates: http://futuresforumvgs.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/knowle-relocation-project-far-more.html