Save Our Sidmouth

Category Archives: East Devon Alliance


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Developers’ charter imminent (from next Wednesday, 27 March)

Save our Sidmouth supporters may be interested in this letter sent in to our website mailbox yesterday. It relates to next week’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)  deadline, which will have particularly disastrous consequences for East Devon’s villages and towns…including Sidmouth.

Dear all,
Some while ago, I wrote to my MP expressing concern about clauses 1 and 8 in the Growth and Infrastructure bill. The reply from Nick Boles is here:  Doc1
Either Nick Boles has not read the bill, or he supposes that nobody else has! The reply is inadequate, and my response to my MP on clause 1 is attached.    Dear Julian Smith MP_clause1
It hardly matters what local councils do, if Pickles can disenfranchise them on little more than a whim. As it is worded, standing up to developers will be classed as “under performance” and the LPA will be “designated”. Developers will then apply directly to the Secretary of State, who will wave applications through without regard to local knowledge or opinion.
If you have not already lobbied your MP on this one, please do so ASAP. This bill is nearing assent.

Please also refer to http://www.whosehomeisit.co.uk.

Best regards,   
David Walsh


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ITV West Country report on today’s ‘Black Day for the Countryside’ march in Feniton.

News of the first event organised by the new pressure-group, East Devon Alliance, is here: http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/

Sidmouth was well-represented amongst the people of all ages who joined the march. As well as the large contingent from Feniton itself, protesters came from places across East Devon, including Exmouth, Colyton, Ottery St Mary, and Honiton.
Nicky King of Friends of Elizabeth Hall, Exmouth, has sent this summary:
On the agenda were calls for the current proposed developments in Feniton to be halted pending the investigation of the now Ex Conservative EDDC Councillor for Feniton, Mr Graham Brown. And in the light of said revelations, a call for our Members of Parliament to lobby central government to postpone the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework due to be rolled out next week.
Despite the weather, there was a really good turn out and the Friends would like to thank all those who attended and to the EDA and the Feniton Futures team for all of their hard work in putting together such an enjoyable and well organised march
More details can be found at  http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com


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REMINDER: Whatever the weather, take time to mourn the sad loss of East Devon’s most precious asset…. Join the Saturday morning Mass March at Feniton this weekend (23/03)

This latest Telegraph ‘sting’ shows what the Feniton march is all about:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/9947318/Planning-ministers-war-on-the-countryside.html 

 Organisers East Devon Alliance urgently invite you to the ‘Black Day for the Countryside’ protest, THIS SATURDAY MORNING !     feniton-march-poster 23.03.13 

Marchers will be wearing black mourning clothes and carrying black balloons and ribbons. Some will have Brown Envelopes and other banners. Timeline for EDA march in Feniton

EDA is calling for the postponement of the  deadline for the National Planning Policy Framework  (NPPF.. next Wednesday 27 March) , until Local Authorities have their 5-year Land Supply Plan in place.

Nick Boles has close links with East Devon ( and particularly with Talaton village, just two miles or so  from Feniton). This recent report from another national newspaper has details:  http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/370412/Housing-land-grab-minister-warned-Don-t-come-home