There will be a full discussion of how to send objections to EDDC’s Plans.  (Many people have told us the EDDC website is confusing). There’s a whole week  before the deadline on 14th January.

A mass of objections  from the public will aid the Government Inspector who decides whether or not the Local Plan is sound. He will look at all documents later this year (probably in summer, 2013).

The two links below have further information, including some alternative plans for the Sid Valley, suggested by SOS.

Wrong or right answers

How We Can Save the Sid Valley

The Public Meeting will be held in the Council Chamber. If you haven’t already seen Knowle from the inside, you may be curious to see what EDDC plans to demolish…so might your friends and neighbours…so please let them know!

The meeting  will start at 7.30pm on Monday 7th January, in the Knowle Council Chamber.  Main agenda items are SOS strategy for 2013, and the urgency of mass public response to the Local Plan  (Deadline is 14 January!). Advice on strongest objections will be discussed.  Public question time.

We look forward to seeing you there, with interested friends and neighbours. Please offer transport if you can, to those who might need it. (Car parks available…at the moment!)

Many of the people who came to  Sidford Social Hall on Wednesday evening, had first hand experience of the flooding at nearby Sidford Fields. They know only too well the consequences of EDDC’s Local Plan for a 12 acre business park on this AONB floodplain site.

Other aspects of the Local Plan could have dire consequences for the whole Sid Valley, so people had come from Sidbury and Sidmouth to attend the meeting, despite foul weather and Christmas priorities. Richard Thurlow, SOS Chair, gave a presentation on the progress of the Campaign, and on the looming deadline for public response. He then joined a panel of four for questions from the audience. The other panel members were Alan Darrant representing the Sid Vale Association; Barry Curwen, for Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce; and Marianne Rixson, of Sidford W.I., representing SOS.

A member of the audience, Graham Cooper, writes:

‘Everyone was advised to comment on the Local Plan by noon 14^th January.

This morning I purchased a hard copy of the LP for £3 (+ £2 for A3 maps) from EDDC.’

A copy is also available online, and can be downloaded. Advice on how to respond will be on this SOS website from the first week in January 2013.

Meanwhile, for the interactive map of the New Local Plan (2006-2026) which is out for consultation at the moment go to: http://maps2.eastdevon.gov.uk/mapping/localplan2013/. This shows where EDDC are allocating development for the future. Assuming the plan is found sound at examination in late summer 2013, this plan will be adopted in early 2014.

(For comparison, the public can view the interactive map of the current (adopted) Local Plan (1995-2011), at http://maps2.eastdevon.gov.uk/mapping/localplan/.)