Here is the link, which includes comments from Chair of Save Our Sidmouth, Richard Thurlow:
Category Archives: SOS
Knowle and the Local Plan: a brief summary of latest events, with comments.
Knowle
The Full Council decided on Wednesday24th July to relocate from the Knowle. The destination is as yet unsure, but it won’t be Sidmouth. At least one senior EDDC Councillor (notably Councillor Halse) has expressed concern about the financial risk, and it’s all still to play for.
A meeting was held by EDDC last Friday (26th July) with selected ‘stakeholders’, to discuss relocation. Sidmouth Town Councillor Kelvin Dent asked (and this is believed to have been minuted, what steps EDDC intend to take to mitigate the economic impact of relocation (nearly 100 jobs over 10 years and £4.5million a year spend in Sidmouth).
Local Plan
As expected the Council adopted the latest minutes of the Development Management Committee. The allocation of Zones B, C and D for housing at the Knowle remain, as does the Sidford Industrial Estate, despite a vigorous debate. The Plan now goes forward for examination in public by an Inspector towards the end of this year, or beginning of 2014.
Footnote, from a member of Knowle Residents’Association:
The Leader, Councillor Diviani said the EDDC was investigating the possibility of borrowing (approximately) £4,800,000 to fund the move but that it would be at NO COST TO THE COUNCIL TAX PAYER . I wish I could borrow that amount at no cost !! I assume this borrowing would be a bridging loan to enable construction to commence on their new H.Q and would eventually be repaid from the sale of zones B C and D which are likely to be developed in stages.
Councillor Peter Halse’s comments clearly indicate that he is concerned about the possible financial risk involved in this strategy. Councillor Diviani also stated that the project would remain “Cost
Neutral”.
It was mentioned at the Full Council meeting that considerable difficulty was encountered by staff during an evacuation of the Knowle following a fire alarm due to corridors being obstructed by
photocopiers. (Surely illegal to obstruct exit routes?). This is a little odd since the EDDC maintain the current accommodation is twice the size that is needed so surely the offending machines should have been placed in unused offices?!!
Members of the public were of course unable to comment on this paradox at the meeting, whilst councillors failed to address it.
Reports on the thorny issues of EDDC office relocation, the Local Plan, and this month’s related Council meetings (Cabinet, Development Management Committee, and Full Council) are in recent posts on the SOS website, and the SIN blog http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com (e.g From our correspondent “Fly Me” , 26th July)
There is much more to come!
The dangers of ‘delegated powers’
One of the ‘items of concern’ from EDDC’s recent Full Council meeting, is their plan to use more ‘delegated powers’ for planning decisions (See our May 24th report, Public question time…and some items of concern ).
Will the new planning application for Sidford be decided by this method, away from the public eye? (For the proposal, and SVA objection, go to May 20th post, New Planning Application for Sidford AONB).
SOS Chair, Richard Thurlow has been finding out. His comments, and correspondence with EDDC , are reproduced below, with his permission:
“I asked whether the Planning Application for the vet centre in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was going to the Development Management Committee or being dealt with under ‘Delegated powers’.
This is the answer.”.
Sent: 24 May 2013 18:35
RE: Planning Application 13/0715/OUT
Dear Richard,
Further to your attached e-mail and subsequent voicemail all I can say at this stage is that the process by which the decision is made on this matter will follow the Council’s constitution and therefore if the recommendation is contrary to that of one or more of the ward members comments then the matter will be reported to the DM Committee. Furthermore if the recommendation is to approve then it would also be reported to DM Committee as a departure from the Local Plan. Aside from these circumstances a decision could be made under delegated powers. Until we have come to a final view ourselves and have the opinions of the ward members I cannot confirm the procedure for a decision on this matter.
Regards.
Ed Freeman
Development Manager
East Devon District Council
“Sidmouth Town Council has agreed to this Application, so we shall have to see if any Ward members object, or whether it is considered a departure from the Local Plan (in the existing it is; in the new LP it is, too).”
Save Our Sidmouth 