Save Our Sidmouth has today submitted the following comments to EDDC : Comments on Proposed Changes to the Local Plan
DON’T FORGET YOUR OWN! For how and where to send your comments, see http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/1060690/final-edlp-consultation-instruction-from-eddc-ver02.pdf
Some priority points which may be helpful, are listed in our earlier post: https://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/05/25/sidford-business-park-still-in-local-plan-comments-must-be-submitted-by-midday-on-12-june/
East Devon District Council released their latest version of the Local Plan for consultation a few weeks ago. You can find their invitation to comment here:
Click to access final-edlp-consultation-instruction-from-eddc-ver02.pdf
and you can find the Sidmouth chapter of the revised LP here:
Click to access psd2015a-local-plan-tracked-changes-consultation-apr-2015.pdf
EDDC continued their proposals to allow up to 50 dwellings at the Knowle, 20 at Manstone, and 30 at Port Royal as in their last version.
They did omit the Employment land at Sidford. But in doing so they said that there may be a need to consider “a new Employment site on the northern edge of Sidmouth”: a location undefined by them.
The Inspector has said that any replies MUST be related to the changes in the Local Plan by EDDC, and that he will not consider other comments. He has also said very significantly for SOS that as EDDC submitted their original Local Plan with the Sidford site included, they cannot now remove it and he will be the one to decide whether it is omitted.
If you are interested in making a Representation, then please note the above. THE SIDFORD SITE IS MOST IMPORTANT and we do need comments that add to the need to exclude it.
These are:
• Devon Wildlife Trust has issued a Report that says that the water quality of the Sid is reasonable, it is very fragile and additional discharges will pollute it.
• Any proposals to build at Sidford will need raising of the ground by about 2 metres to preclude flooding. This will mean vastly increased Visual Intrusion.
• The existing Alexandria Road Industrial Estate now has increased capacity since the National Grid site was purchased by a current employer on this Industrial Estate. Consequently, there is even less need now for a new site elsewhere.
• Sidmouth does not need a new Employment site for 1400 new workers, as proposed.
Richard Thurlow
Chair, Save Our Sidmouth
By a narrow margin of, we are told, 18 votes to 13, District Councillors at today’s Extra Ordinary meeting at Knowle, have decided to drop the controversial proposal for a 12 acre employment site at Sidford Fields.
Congratulations and thanks to Sidmouth Councillors Stuart Hughes and Graham Troman for proposing the amendment. As a recent commentator on this blog noted recently, Cllr Troman had already argued strongly at the Development Management Committee, that the Sidford site was not justified by the council’s own formulae.
And much credit must also be given to SOS member Marianne Rixson, whose extensive research on flooding and traffic issues was presented to the Inspector at the Examination-in-Public of the previous Local Plan. Her work has solidly informed the debate.
Save Our Sidmouth