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Pegasus Life documents do not give true picture of buildings proposed at Knowle, EDDC told.

The following letter appears on the Opinion page in the current edition of the Sidmouth Herald (16th September 2016) :

“Sir

I have emailed the Chief Planning Officer at East Devon District Council urging him, for the following reasons, either to recommend refusal of the PegasusLife application to build a giant retirement complex at Knowle Park, Sidmouth or to call for the applicant to re-submit with major changes:

1.recently uploaded documents show that PegasusLife have ignored his and the public’s concerns about the close proximity to a listed building of two massive 60-foot high apartment blocks on the park lawns and also about the massing, scale and bulk of the development in relation to the public park and to nearby residential properties.

2.new photomontages from the applicant show that the Design Review Panel’s report (submitted earlier but upon which EDDC is minded to justify approval) is based on false artistic impressions. The attached photomontage, for instance, taken from page 26 of PegasusLife’s new Design Access Statement (document 2391416), shows the height of the proposed buildings on Knowle Drive to be roughly twice that suggested in the artist’s impression.

Michael Temple, Sidmouth’

design-and-access2_page_26

SOS note: The author,Mike Temple,is a founder member of the East Devon Alliance, EDA, which since the May 2015 elections, has the lion’s share of the Independent Group at EDDC.


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NEW OPPOSITION GALVANISES AGAINST FORDS’ SIDFORD FIELDS PLAN

The following press release has just been issued, on behalf of the Sid Valley residents who organised the Public Meeting:

An overflowing Sidford Social Hall was witness to a series of strong arguments against the proposed business park development in AONB at Sidford Fields by Fords Group, Sidmouth. Among the many speakers at the Public Meeting, organised by Sid Valley Residents on Monday (12 Sep) and chaired by Cathy Debenham:
Alan Green, Director of the Norman Lockyer Observatory said the light pollution from the development would be ‘a total disaster and will destroy us after 104 years.’
Marianne Rixson, East Devon Alliance and EDDC Councillor (Sidmouth-Sidford), presented research showing that Exeter and Honiton currently have 1.6 million square feet of available employment units, so East Devon hardly needs any more, especially in AONB and on a flood plain.
Richard Thurlow, of the Sid Vale Association pointed out that Fords have applied for B2 Light Industrial use, which is not only against the Local Plan, but against locals themselves.
Pam Ward, a governor of Sidbury School said that the increased traffic and kind of vehicles involved would become a serious safety issue for local children.
As a result of the meeting forthcoming actions may include:
• Hiring of a planning consultant to document and present the counter arguments for the DMC – the money was pledged immediately by one audience member.
• Concerted protests to the land owner, Sir John Cave (without disruption to this week’s Sidbury Fair).
• A re-assessment of the sustainability report.
• A re-investigation of Devon Council’s Highway’s Committee report on the proposal’s traffic impact, which is long out-dated (2012)
• Written objections to EDDC planning before the application’s comment’s deadline this week (Friday 16 September)
• Mass public attendance at Knowle at EDDC’s Development Management Committee (DMC) meeting when the decision on Fords’ planning application will be made, possibly October 4th or November 1st 2016. Precise date will be publicised as soon as confirmed.
Over 100 emails and contacts were collected from locals keen to join the protest. There was a serious mood in the room to boycott Fords. There were calls for an eventual Public Enquiry.
Whatever happens, it is clear that the DMC’s decision will not go unnoticed.
More information at:
Facebook- ‘Say NO to Sidford Business Park


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Planned Sidford business park would be “a total disaster” for the Observatory, says NLO Director

At a packed Public Meeting last night in Sidford, past warnings from eminent astrologer, the late Sir Patrick More, and one of his most famous students, Brian May, were loudly echoed by the Director of Sidmouth’s renowned Norman Lockyer Observatory, Alan Green. Brian May and Sir Patrick More had signed the SOS petition four years ago, see https://saveoursidmouth.com/2012/09/21/dr-brian-may-signs-sos-petition/. But with the fuller information now known about the development actually proposed, Mr Green was scathing. Light pollution from a Business Park of the scale of the one planned at Sidford “could destroy the Observatory”, he told the packed Meeting, organised by residents from Sidford, Sidbury and Sidmouth, with the support of the East Devon Alliance. The focus of the meeting, Chaired by Cathy Debenham, was on information, such as the deadline for comments (this Friday 16th September); what counts as ‘planning considerations’; who will decide on the planning application (It’s EDDC’s Development Management Committee, DMC), and where (usually Knowle Council Chamber), and when (possibly at next DMC meeting in October, or November, but not yet confirmed). There was plenty of time before the start of the meeting to study the several information boards on display.
(Report to be continued..)