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Category Archives: Knowle Watch


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List of registered speakers for Tuesday 6th December. Will DMC be persuaded to vote for or against PegasusLife’s planning application for Knowle?

Ref. 16/0872/MFUL (Major) (page 14 – 88) Sidmouth Town Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth EX10 8HL

PegasusLife’s planning application  is the first item on the agenda at next week’s Development Management Committee meeting, which takes place in Knowle Council Chamber, starting at 10.30 a.m (Tuesday 6th December).

The list of those registered to speak  can now be viewed in the DMC agenda on the eddc website. The names are copied here for your convenience:

Parish Representative: Cllr Michael Earthey

Objectors (5 permitted):

Richard Thurlow, Rob Whittle, Michael Temple, Kelvin Dent,Piers Brandling-Harris.  (N.B.telephone numbers are published on eddc website, should you wish to discuss a particular point to be mentioned)

Applicant/ Agent: Emma Webster


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“I am sure Sidmouth Councillors are aware of the gigantic scale and impact of this development,” resident told STC

knowle-poster3

Sidmouth Town Council Planning Committee (16th November), heard Michael Temple make the following speech. The issues raised will be amongst many to be considered next Tuesday (6th December) by the Development Management Committee (DMC).

‘The District Council’s Chief Planning Officer recommended that PegasusLife set Building E back to the existing office footprint. In response PegasusLife have moved it a few metres north of the Listed Summerhouse but on a higher level of lawn where the Chief Planning Officer has told me ground levels would be raised.

Diagrams* sent to you by Graham Cooper reveal the visual impact of this on the listed building and for those who use the park: currently the angle of vision to the old hotel building from the ground level of the Folly is 20 degrees – the distance between being over 30 metres. The angle of vision to the new siting of Building E would be 50 degrees. As measured by the Chief Planning Officer Building E would be 20.1 metres (66 feet) above the ground level of the Folly. This will destroy the setting of the listed building and impact seriously on the public park.

STC has opposed any building on the park lawns, which are seen as a key feature of this unique woodland park. The developer’s claim that Buildings E and D (the latter to be sited on the very edge of the lower lawn) will “tastefully ornament” the listed building is preposterous and the vegetation now encroaching on that public asset is the result of Council neglect.

PegasusLife’s intention to remove all the trees and bushes on the western side of the lawn terraces will also expose Building E – as well as the adjacent Building F which will be 7 metres higher that the current office building. These will dominate the skyline from the western side of Sidmouth. I am sure Sidmouth Councillors are aware of the gigantic scale and impact of this development.’

  • Diagrams can be viewed on the eddc website in the COMMENT by  Graham Cooper, dated  11 November 2016, under Knowle planning application reference 16/08072/FUL

 


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EDDC clashes again with Information Commissioner, over Knowle. Will next week’s DMC decision (6 Dec) be compromised ?

With exquisite timing,  EDDC yesterday announced it will once again be going to appeal, rather than comply with the Information Commissioner’s conclusion that more Knowle sale documents should be in the public domain. This presumably puts an enormous extra burden on the Council’s Development Management Committee (DMC) who are scheduled to decide on the Knowle planning application in just one week’s time (6th December 2016) , with the knowledge now that some associated documents have been withheld from them.

After the shaming of officers, described by the Tribunal Judge as ‘discourteous and UNhelpful’, in the Knowle appeal that EDDC lost in 2015, the public will question why yet further public money is  now being spent, possibly for a repeat performance.

Full update on this breaking news is here:

http://futuresforumvgs.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/knowle-relocation-project-district_28.html