Save Our Sidmouth

This morning’s interview, by Radio Devon’s Michael Chequer, grilled East Devon’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Andrew Moulding, on the subject.

Here’s the gist , noted by an SOS correspondent (but not verbatim) :

Michael Chequer:   53 changes – how did you get it so wrong (MC repeated the charge later in the interview)

Andrew Moulding:  It’s a matter of interpretation; that`s (the Inspector’s ) opinion; we respect his views.

        We put forward 183 proposed changes which we considered minor; the Inspector took the view that 53 of them were major.

        We are pleased that the Inspector came back to us at an early stage.

MC:  Could you give us an example of the changes?

AM (struggling): They are about the environment, and how we change our villages.

          Let`s see, I`ve got the document here (pause while he looked at it; he then read out

          a couple of changes)

MC: Were you hoping to get things through without the public noticing?

AM: No, not at all

MC: When can we expect to see the Plan finalised

AM: Hopefully in the early part of the New Year.

The Inspector’s  comments will be of considerable interest to Sid Valley residents, as both Sidford and Knowle plans are singled out for criticism (although the planning process implications are of course  District wide) .

EDDC’s press release (19th August) Local Plan–key changes from minor to major can be seen at http://www.claire-wright.org.