Public Examination of the New East Devon Local Plan ..... ..... CLIMATE CHANGE

Following on from looking at the issue of the environment on 14th February
Futures Forum: Public Examination of the New East Devon Local Plan... ENVIRONMENT
and climate change on 27th February
Futures Forum: Public Examination of the New East Devon Local Plan ..... session on Climate Change - Thurs 27th February
here is a personal view from the chair of the Vision Group's Futures Forum, who was in attendance at that session:

An interesting 90 minutes at the Knowle this morning. The admirable Mr Thickett calmly and powerfully demolished the EDDC policies and procedures. "This policy is so unspecific that it has no likelihood of being implemented." 

I suspect a new set of Building Regulations may emerge in due course.

The Green Party and Tesco had reserved places but failed to put in an appearance. There seemed to be no consideration of food security, water storage and drainage.

The Inspector unpicked the vague, inadequate or non-existent documentation on environmental impact, and sustainable design and construction - "The sustainable construction policy is more a 'don't annoy the neighbours' policy."

He advised them to rewrite a policy which suggests that the only low energy and renewable energy projects to be considered in East Devon would be as part of a building project, not as stand-alone developments.

The CPRE made a convoluted and unconvincing argument against wind and solar energy projects - but at least they agreed with AD, biomass and hydro. Nobody promoted fracking... EDDC expert advisers said that "CHP and other low carbon solutions are generally not viable". The Inspector was dubious.

The Inspector probed the justification for inconsistency in the codes to be applied in different parts of the District. A representative for Cranbrook developers drew attention to the unfair treatment they get from the unequal rules for developments elsewhere.

In view of the high levels of mistrust generated among the public over the past two years of manoeuvring by EDDC I feel we need to ask why the documentation was so piss-poor. Is it because

a) the officers are incompetent

b) the ruling group are indifferent

c) the residents of East Devon do not care

d) there is a conspiracy between senior officers, councillors, private developers and landowners - often the same people in different roles - to permit widespread under-regulated highly profitable piecemeal development all over the east of the District while getting brownie points for the fig-leaf of higher standards of compliance and comprehensive low carbon infrastructure within the eco-town of Cranbrook-on-flood plain.

Robert Crick

Vision Group for Sidmouth - Home
An Inspector Calls – on Climate Change Policy at EDDC. | East Devon Alliance

A look at some of the issues:

"food security"
Britain may need to 'dig for survival', minister says - Telegraph
Food security and the NPPF | Sidmouth Independent News
Food Security Land Research Alliance
Schumacher College: Sustainable Horticulture and Food Production - growing low input, diverse and resilient food systems
Lessons from history | Geofutures
We need a national food strategy urgently says Devon NFU Chairman | The Exeter Daily
Devon Wildlife Trust | view-news

"water storage and drainage"
“Flood zone 3A will become Flood Zone 3B by 2025″ , Sidmouth hearing told. | Sidmouth Independent News
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (4) – groundwater | Sidmouth Independent News
BRE 365 (3) | Sidmouth Independent News
20 February 2014 - Flood-proofing farming: a grass roots approach - BBSRC
www.devon.gov.uk/ldfpaper-waterresourcesandflooding.pdf

"low energy and renewable energy projects"
South Devon Coastal Renewable Energy Network - About SDCREN
Regen South West - delivering sustainable energy
East Devon District Council - Energy Efficiency Grants in East Devon
www.northdevon.gov.uk/renewaction-2.pdf
www.middevon.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2797&p=0
Energy | Transition Exeter

"wind and solar energy projects"
Beware solar farm ” community payments” | Sidmouth Independent News
Community owned renewable energy, ethical green investment - Energy For All - E4All
KW09 | SunEdison closes on financing for 56 MW of UK solar PV plants - SolarServer
Galsworthy Farm, Devon - Our Green Energy - Ecotricity

"AD, biomass and hydro"
Primary school pupil given top recycling award | North Devon Journal
Devon Biomass Opportunities Statement and enquiry service
Biomass Exeter Devon South West | Froling Boilers | Wood Fuel Heating Exeter Devon |
www.devon.gov.uk/plandoc_11_3637.pdf
North Devon Green Party | Hydroelectric Power Scheme invented by Devon Engineer to be Developed
www.ashden.org/files/reports/Okehampton College case study.pdf

"fracking"
South West Greens reject fracking 'bribe' | Tiverton Mid Devon Gazette
Discredited information | North Devon Journal

"CHP"
Combined Heat and Power Focus - News - DECC's Free resource supporting the development of CHP
Energy centre at Skypark in Cranbrook | News stories - E.ON
Latest News - Exeter and East Devon Growth Point

"Building Regulations"
"Cranbrook developers ... unequal rules for developments" 
"the fig-leaf of higher standards of compliance and comprehensive low carbon infrastructure" 
Cranbrook gets special treatment for Community Infrastructure Levy | Sidmouth Independent News
Cranbrook, exciting new eco-town? | Sidmouth Independent News
cic.org.uk/admin/resources/exeter-and-east-devon-low-carbon-task-force.pdf

"eco-town of Cranbrook-on-flood plain"
Cranbrook residents challenge flooding claims but don’t quite understand what they are challenging | Sidmouth Independent News
Cranbrook flooding: Eagle eyes | Sidmouth Independent News
So Cranbrook has no flooding problems ….. | Sidmouth Independent News

"a conspiracy between senior officers, councillors, private developers and landowners ... to permit widespread under-regulated highly profitable piecemeal development"
East Devon Green Party | East Devon Green Party challenges employment land provision at Local Plan Hearing
Persimmon: Why shouldn’t we build on Sidmouth’s “green belt” – we’ve done it elsewhere | Sidmouth Independent News
Local authority: public service or business? | Sidmouth Independent News
“Presumption in favour of disclosure” on pre-application meetings with developers at Ottery | Sidmouth Independent News
http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/another_delay_looks_likely_on_decision_over_quarry_at_straitgate_farm

... although to be fair on the planning committee of the District Council - which considers itself 'independent-minded' - an application for a pig farm on AONB land has recently been rejected:
Planning inspector dismisses pig farm appeal - News - Sidmouth Herald
Controversial plans for massive indoor pig farm in East Devon AONB rejected by Government planning inspector | Exeter Express and Echo
East Devon pig farm refused permission for second time | Western Daily Press
Venn Ottery piggery – inspector’s decision. Another example of EDDC’s paperwork not being at its best – nor the applicant’s | Sidmouth Independent News
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