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Category Archives: Sidford Fields – AONB or business park?


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More considerations that STC may address at today’s planning meeting (6.30pm, St Peter’s Church Hall, Sidford)

Further visual images to give an indication of the possible effect on the landscape of Fords’ planning application ref 16/0669/MOUT, for Land adjacent to Two Bridges Road, Sidford (shown on right , in photo below, and in earlier SOS post today https://saveoursidmouth.com/2016/09/07/today-sidmouth-town-council-planning-committee-to-consider-fords-amended-planning-application-st-peters-church-hall-sidford-6-30pm/ ).
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Previous building overlooking the site, e.g. the bungalows in Sid Vale Close, seem to have been planned as single storey to minimise impact on the landscape. In contrast, the buildings in Fords’ planning application document  are shown as two-storey, with a pitched roof, and appear very close to the road. No heavy goods vehicles are shown.
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An indication of how the development could affect what are now open views, has been sent in to SOS by a local resident (approximation only):
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TODAY.. Sidmouth Town Council planning committee to consider Fords’ amended planning application. St Peter’s Church Hall, Sidford, 6.30pm

The site of the proposed Sidford business park is in Two Bridges Road,  on land to the right in this picture (August 2016).
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The following photos and illustrations sent in to SOS may help with visualising the impact of the current planning application on the landscape, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) .

The planning application is for phase 1(shown in planning application document shown below .Hard standing areas for vehicles have been highlighted for clarity, and the recent photo of a nearby business park (Honiton,Heathpark) indicate what they typically look like.

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The planning application includes warehousing and storage. These photos show Fords’ present site at the Alexandria Road Industrial estate.

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More information in the next SOS post.

 


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Resident raises concerns about possible business park ‘deal’

This letter, copied with the author’s permission, was published in today’s Sidmouth Herald:

Dear Sir,

I was delighted to read, on page 4 of last week’s Herald, that residents have got a second opportunity to voice their concerns on the proposed business park between Sidbury and Sidford. Then on page 10, I read that the County Council have withdrawn it’s proposal for a path between Sidbury and Sidford, because Ford’s have offered to pay for it, should they get permission for the business park. The proposed path is now part of a section 106 agreement between the District Council (as the planning authority) and Fords. Such an agreement is described as a ‘ a DEAL to mitigate the impact of development’. I wonder if the use of the word ‘deal’ indicates what is really happening here- that the offer to fund the path is being used as a “bargaining chip”, to quote Stuart Hughes. As the business park has yet to receive the the go ahead and another period of public consultation is in progress, I wonder how the council can justify their decision?

I have written to them to ask for an explanation and I suggest others do likewise. Meantime, may I urge readers with concerns about the proposed business park, to write or email the District Council. The reference number to quote in correspondence is: 16/0669/MOUT. The deadline for comments is 16 September and not 2 September, as is given in the EDDC website.

Yours sincerely

Alison Kerruish,
Sidford