Save Our Sidmouth

According to reports in the latest editions of the Sidmouth Herald and Exmouth Journal, East Devon District Council are planning a three month delay on Knowle, on the assumption that there will be a legal challenge.

After public feedback on the unsuitability of its original plans, Pegasus Life has told the Sidmouth Herald that “the design of the development has been altered to include pitched roofs and an architectural style more in keeping with Sidmouth”. But the tall 4-storey building pictured on the Herald’s front page (Friday 1st April 2016) shows no apparent trace of “the architectural style” which embellishes Sidmouth’s uniqueness.

The justification for more than doubling the number of 50 homes allocated for Knowle in the Local Plan, is not made clear. The developer, Pegasus Life, now proposes 115 homes, slightly less than the 126 they had initially proposed.

If the now formally submitted plans are approved, a proposed private retirement complex will replace what have been publicly-owned buildings at Knowle. The footprint of the new buildings will exceed that of the current buildings, extending into the upper terraces, arguably the best part of the historic parkland.

For reference, the ‘architectural style’ of the present Knowle building (a former hotel), is pictured below, showing how it blends into the landscape, and the south-facing facade and upper terraces.

The new building may be considerably higher than the present one, as the Futures Forum blogspot illustrates: http://futuresforumvgs.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/knowle-relocation-project-far-more.html

The Head of Relocation, Richard Cohen, will be speaking at the 6th April EDDC Cabinet Meeting, which has a particularly crowded agenda.
His Knowle update will lead into a key decision for consideration at Full Council on 20th April, 2016.
Scroll down to p. 12 for EDDC key decisions schedule at this link: http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/1622700/060416-combined-cabinet-agendasm.pdf