Save Our Sidmouth


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Waldron’s Farm on Development Management Committee agenda, once again

There will be two sessions for this DMC (Tues 7th May) one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Beginning at 11.am, several Planning Applications for Ottery St Mary will be considered.

All other Planning Applications will be discussed from 2pm, including the highly contentious one for Waldron’s Farm. This was of course referred to the Ombudsman after three Liberal Democrat members of DMC resigned in protest over alleged procedural irregularities. Outline Planning Permission has since been approved, as the Ombudsman found no evidence of anything untoward.  Members of the public are expected to express their continuing concerns to the DMC on Tuesday afternoon.


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Devon County Council election results for Sidmouth-Sidford.

Stuart Hughes, Conservative,  was successfully returned with 1,923 votes, and  Lawrie Brownlee for UKIP took  second place with 1505 votes . Labour’s Judy Blackwell came third with 361 votes, and Martin Gammell polled 278 for the Liberal Democrats. The turnout was 37.5 %.

Councillor Hughes has taken a firm stand on some key issues in the Save Our Sidmouth campaign. As he stated in his election leaflet,  “I have been vocal in my opposition against a Business Park development taking place within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and on land susceptible to flooding to the north of Sidford. I shall continue to press for the link road to the Alexandria Industrial Estate from the B3176 so that it can reach its full potential in providing future employment opportunities.” He also chaired the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which set up the Task and Finish Forum  to do an” in-depth report” on the East Devon Business Forum (although this TAFF has so far been prevented from carrying out its proper remit).

And Mr Brownlee  explicitly mentioned SOS in his campaign leaflet: “I am deeply concerned about the proposed overdevelopment by EDDC and am a committed member of Save our Sidmouth/ Sidford. I have attended Council meetings and all the protest marches.”

Full details of the results are at  http://new.devon.gov.uk/democracy/elections-and-voting/election-2013/