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Friday 30 June 2017

Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation > 'calling a spade a bloody shovel'

Concerns are mounting about the current plans for Port Royal:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation > 'this is not what we expected'
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation >> "This does not make a good start to what is supposed to be a public consultation."
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> "BIG seafront development plans ... lots of income for land-holding EDDC and big income potential"

Here is the opening of a comprehensive analysis from the Sidmouth Drill Hall Rescue campaign: 
Click on the link for more:

Port Royal regeneration consultation

As a northern lass who is accustomed to ‘calling a spade a bloody shovel’ I was left frustrated by what I saw and what I was told during the two days of this consultation...


Port Royal regeneration consultation - Sidmouth Drill Hall Rescue

With a quick overview here in letter form:



Dear Friends,
Just a quick note to let you know I have got the web page up and it can be found here

It is a complex subject but I have tried to make it as clear as possible. For those of you who want a quick overview I have three sections at the top, followed by a link to the page with the illustrations on.

For those who really want to get their heads round it as much as possible I have further information below that, if you can bear to read it :-)

What I don't mention, except in passing, is my concern as to how this will affect Folk Week and thus the economy of the town. Having started off coming here as a Folkie in 1975 I am well aware of what makes the town so attractive to the festival. I don't think that it would be easy to fit the Ham marquee on the area of grass which will remain. We are certainly losing out on the opportunity to provide space for the festival to expand.

Although I am a designer by trade I am by no means an artist, even my graphics skill leave a lot to be desired. So I apologise for the poor quality of the images I present. I have done my best to get the scale right and if I have erred then it reflects badly on the Councils who couldn't be bothered to give us full information so that I didn't need to try to do this.

I have received an email from Mike Osborne, author of the book about Drill Halls in the UK, saying he has filled in the EDDC survey ... stressing how important it was that these buildings are not lost but re-used.

On the subject of the survey, it has been pointed out to me that this survey is being run entirely in house by EDDC. I knew this because it says so on the survey page, but I hadn't considered the fact that that means the results will only be released at EDDC's whim. Perhaps now is the time for us to consider running a parallel survey or a petition? Let me know your thoughts.

I have also heard from Paul Turner of Turner Architects who won the Re-imagining Port Royal competition last year. If I remember correctly the competition required that the proposed development was realistic, ie funding from outside Sidmouth could be identified. Perhaps Paul will give me an article I can put online?

To the many of you who wrote with encouraging words, thank you. I have had no time to reply yet but I promise I will do.

kind regards, Mary



Port Royal Consultation, response webpage
Rescue Sidmouth Drill Hall - Sidmouth Drill Hall Rescue
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How to deal with diesel: increase fuel duty

We've got a problem with road transport:
Futures Forum: How to deal with diesel: scrappage
Futures Forum: Air pollution: "So, are we facing up to what's being called an urgent public health crisis?"

This is the latest on these issues from the New Economics Foundation:

CHOKING LUNGS AND PUBLIC FINANCES


A REDUCTION IN CARBON EMISSIONS IS BADLY NEEDED, BUT THERE ARE ALSO PRESSURES TO RAISE FUNDS FROM FUEL DUTY


30 JUNE, 2017


Road transport in the UK is a mess. The sector is fundamentally failing to meet the major challenges facing the UK economy. Whilst carbon emissions are falling across almost every sector of the UK economy, for transport they haven’t budged and risk blowing the UK’s carbon budgets. At the same time, the fiscal structure of road transport is in jeopardy by relying on fuel duties. A new report argues that fuel duty can either generate tax revenues or incentivise cleaner transport by discouraging people from driving. But a look at recent policy changes reveals current government actions set us up for neither.

The Committee for Climate Change – the Government’s official advisors on carbon reduction – emphasises that to effectively meet our 2030 carbon budget, a 44% reduction in transport emissions is required, which “will require a major increase in the uptake of electric vehicles.” The Office for Budget Responsibility, however, forecasts that returns from fuel duty will increase in the future and continue to provide a large source of tax receipts – currently 4%. But which is it? Are we going to continue driving and relying on fossil fuels for tax revenues while busting through the UK’s carbon budget? Or will we switch over to electric vehicles and stay within the carbon budget, thus creating a black hole in public finances? Both government bodies can’t be right.

Unfortunately for us, they might both be wrong. Given how the government is currently handling fuel duty, we may be on course to bust through the carbon budget for transport and create a black hole in public finances.

Beginning in 1993, fuel duty escalated faster than inflation, deliberately increased to raise revenues and incentivise behaviour relating to road wear and tear, local air pollutants, congestion, carbon emissions and road accidents. Then, as part of the 2011 budget, then Chancellor George Osborne announced a freeze in fuel duty. This was a temporary measure to provide relief to motorists, especially as fuel prices were quickly rising, and was scheduled to once again increase the following year.

That didn’t happen. Instead, the fuel duty freeze has been ‘temporarily’ extended time and time again, even as fuel prices plummeted at the end of 2014 and still remain low. This series of freezes – effectively cuts, as inflation rises – has cost the Exchequer a whopping £30 billion. Back in March, Chancellor Phillip Hammond once again confirmed that the fuel duty freeze would be extended.

This confused mess of signalling has resulted in the ‘hedgehog’ formation of expected tax increases that never come and a rate that is actually falling in real terms.



It’s little wonder then that the necessary transformation of road transport is so slow. We are neither providing the incentives nor funding the programmes that are required.

A recent paper about public financing through fuel taxes makes the interesting suggestion that as carbon taxes are likely to become a major source of government revenue in the future, we may be creating the perverse incentive for those in government to avoid emission reduction policies as they would lower tax receipts.

This idea, like the concern about fuel duties versus carbon budgets, presents an intriguing catch-22 – but it’s not clear that policymakers actually operate in this manner. In reality, motorists are very much in the driver’s seat when it comes to political decision making. Until this grip is broken, we’ve got a bumpy ride ahead of us.


Choking lungs and public finances | New Economics Foundation
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Neighbourhood Plan > deadline to complete survey today > Friday 30th June

Today is the last chance to fill in the form:
Futures Forum: Neighbourhood Plan > 'Last chance to have your say!'

The survey can be completed on-line:
Click the link below to complete the survey… – Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan

Meanwhile, here's the press release from the NP steering group:

Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan

The final household questionnaire closes this week, bringing to an end over 15 months of research into the hopes and aspirations, attitudes and concerns of the Sid Valley community.

Chair Deirdre Hounsom reflects on what the Steering Group have learned from analysis of the data so far, and how it will be reflected in the Draft Plan which the team hope to publish at the end of October – a key milestone on the way to the Referendum

“It was clear from our very first survey that for most people, living in the Sid Valley represents a life choice, and there is widespread appreciation of the uniqueness of our towns and surrounding area, the beauty of the natural environment and coastline, our heritage and architecture, peaceful way of life and our local shops. All of this is brought together in a strong sense of community, touching every aspect of our social and economic life. We’ve received important messages about concerns that residents share – problems with traffic and congestion, unease about local planning decisions, a perceived lack of affordable housing for local people and a population that is not balanced in terms of age and diversity.

Whilst people may weigh issues differently according to how important they are to them personally, the responses show the care, concerns and foresight people have in thinking about what will make the Sid Valley a vibrant destination to live, work and play.

Our task is to prepare a Plan which will support the whole community to achieve and maintain the full potential, delivering the framework for a positive future where our heritage and values are preserved, whilst being responsive to new and changing times. The core aspects of the Neighbourhood Plan deal with how we want to best use our land resources not just for housing and amenities, but to maintain and develop a healthy economy for the future, with the Eastern Town regeneration around Port Royal featuring prominently.

We’ve learned however that people have ideas and concerns which are not to do with land, for example community issues such as health care, education, social care and welfare, and ideas on a range of matters from economic issues such as tourism to cultural, sporting and leisure activities. Already we’ve seen the Council Tourism Committee join forces with festival organisers to discuss further strengthening our rapidly growing portfolio of specialty events, and it is hoped that the many ideas which collectively we term ‘Community Actions’ will provide an evidence base to support progress and innovation on the many ideas which have been raised. We very much hope that our 15 months of carefully planned consultations will continue to serve the community well across the full spectrum of our key themes.”

The survey officially closes on Friday June 30th, but the collection boxes at the drop off points will not be collected until Monday 3rd July.

The Steering Group particularly would like to have more responses from people of working age to ensure a balance of views across all residents. The survey may still be completed online on the Neighbourhood Plan website: 


www.sidvalleyneighbourhoodplan.com

________________________________________________________________

For further information contact Deirdre Hounsom, Chair, Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan at d.hounsom@hotmail.com or by phone: 07970 814568


Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan – Shaping our Future Together.
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The impact of migration: "More people move to East Devon than nearly anywhere else in the UK"

Sidmouth and East Devon are clearly very nice places to visit and live in:
​Devon coast path tops list of Britain's best-loved walks | Devon Live
Sidmouth Folk Festival awarded prestigious blue plaque for contribution to music | Devon Live
Here's what is on the line-up for the summer season at the Sidmouth Manor Pavilion Theatre | Devon Live

This has created huge demographic problems, though:

More people move to East Devon than nearly anywhere else in the UK


By Zoe_Stevens | Posted: June 22, 2017

People moving to East Devon increased the population by almost 2,500 people - more than almost anywhere else in England and Wales.

An estimated 8,316 people moved to East Devon from elsewhere in the UK between July 2015 and June 2016. This compared to 5,848 who went the other way during this time, new figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

This meant that an extra 2,468 people moved to East Devon than left - the second highest figure anywhere out of almost 350 counties and districts around England and Wales.

Migration from within the two countries is having more of an impact in East Devon than anywhere else.

As of June 2016 there were 139,908 people in East Devon, meaning that 1.8 per cent of the population was made up of people who had just moved to the county from elsewhere within Britain. This was the highest share out of anywhere in England and Wales.

The most popular destination for people to move to East Devon from was Exeter. A total of 700 people were estimated to have moved from East Devon to Exeter after subtracting those that went the other way, more than anywhere else.

More people move to East Devon than nearly anywhere else in UK | Devon Live

Interestingly, whilst the focus on 'migration' tends to be on those outside the UK:
Futures Forum: The general election in the West Country: the issues >>> immigration

- on the one hand, this part of the UK seems to be dependent on non-UK migrants:
Futures Forum: Brexit: and cheap labour for the hospitality and care industries
Futures Forum: Brexit: and migrant workers in care homes and hotels >>> Who will take care of us "when the immigrants leave?"
Futures Forum: Brexit: and an uncertain future for the hospitality industry 
Futures Forum: Brexit: and caring for the elderly
Futures Forum: Brexit: and East Europeans in the West Country
Futures Forum: Brexit: and low-skilled migrant workers: "There are parts of the country where unemployment is really, really low [such as Exeter]. Many of the young unemployed people are on the other side of the country and they are not going to come down to Exeter, and they don't."
Futures Forum: Population and migration: care for the elderly

- and on the other hand, there are more migrants from within the UK 'putting pressure on local services' here in East Devon:
Futures Forum: Brexit: and migrating to Devon
Futures Forum: Migration, Sidmouth and East Devon

The Telegraph looked at this recently:
Seven things you did not know about migration in the UK - Telegraph

And the Neighbourhood Plan is also looking at it:
Futures Forum: Neighbourhood Plan > Hello young adults: have your say!
Futures Forum: Maintaining a balanced community in Sidmouth
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Climate change: the CPRE and renewable energy in Devon

The Campaign to Protect Rural England has been very concerned about climate change for some time now:
Climate change is altering our cherished landscapes - Campaign to Protect Rural England

It has several national policies on climate change and renewable energy:

CPRE's policy on energy

Climate change is the most urgent and complex environmental issue we face today. The impact of both energy generation and use on the countryside and the climate is growing. CPRE believes the Government should prioritise measures to reduce energy demand, encourage energy efficiency, promote a wider range of renewable technologies and ensure that new energy generation is lower carbon. CPRE’s energy policy highlights these important issues. This version of our policy document has been updated to take account of changes since it was originally produced in 2009.
















CPRE's policy on energy - Campaign to Protect Rural England


Climate change and energy

EmPower Communities - Community energy workshop

In July 2015, CPRE held a workshop for community representatives − the majority from rural areas − to provide a practical introduction to community energy and help them to initiate and get involved in community energy projects. You can download the workshop presentations to print below.
Ensuring Place-Responsive Design for Solar Photovoltaics on Buildings

Ensuring Place-Responsive Design for Solar Photovoltaics on Buildings

A good practice guide in solar PV design for designers, manufacturers and installers, with accompanying 'Solar Design Tips' leaflet aimed at homeowners themselves.
Future Energy Landscapes: A new approach to local energy planning

Future Energy Landscapes: A new approach to local energy planning

Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have joined forces to produce this 'Future Energy Landscapes' report. It aims to bring communities together to share their passion for local landscapes with their enthusiasm for a more sustainable future.
Generating light on landscape impacts

Generating light on landscape impacts:

How to accommodate onshore wind while protecting the countryside
In this report CPRE argues that a locally accountable, strategically planned approach which takes account of landscape capacity and steers wind development to the right places, will enable us to promote renewable energy, including some onshore wind, while protecting cherished countryside. The report builds a case for such an approach by examining how onshore wind proposals are currently being treated in the planning system. It uses local examples provided by our branch network and Planning Inspectorate appeal decisions.
Get generating

Get Generating

A renewable energy guide for rural communities
This guide gives an overview of community based renewable energy options for rural community groups, local councils and individuals. It provides a starting point and signposts more detailed sources of advice, information and help for rural communities to get generating and take the next step in planning and delivering their own renewable energy developments.














Climate change and energy - Campaign to Protect Rural England

Nevertheless, the CPRE in Devon finds 'much of this high level policy is at best unhelpful to those wrestling with major planning applications for renewable energy projects':


Summary

Energy, particularly ‘renewable energy’, remains one of the most controversial areas of Government Policy. Whatever one’s views on Climate Change it is clear that the drive for renewable energy wherever it makes sense is something that CPRE Devon supports. We do not object to small turbines designed to benefit the local farmer or business. We do, however, have to do all we can to protect our precious landscape, not only for its own sake and for those who come after us, but for its importance to the local economy. Renewable energy comes in many forms from wind turbines and solar farms to anaerobic digestion and hydro schemes.
CPR National Office has published a number of documents CPRE’s Policy on EnergyA Planning Campaign Briefing on Energy infrastructure, and a Policy Guidance Note on Onshore Wind Turbines. We have also published a Renewable Energy Guide for Rural Communities and some helpful information on a Countryside Friendly Smart Grid and an independent Cost Evaluation of placing some sections of the Grid underground, and an Introduction to the National Grid in the SW Region.  We have also produced an explanation of “Fracking” for those new to the subject.  Our spokesman, Dr Philip Bratby, has also produced a comment on the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.  CPRE Devon comment on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon
Much of this high level policy is at best unhelpful to those wrestling with major planning applications for renewable energy projects. The sheer scale of these across Devon can be seen here. We have, therefore, held a number of Seminars to help the public understand the subject better. You can see a presentation on “Understanding Wind and Solar Power” and another on “Dealing with the Planning System”. In addition we have a handy short brief on how a Parish Council might approach dealing with a wind turbine planning application?  As ever, “Material Planning Considerations” will dominate any decision. A short “Help Desk” piece on which may apply can be read here.
The Feed-in Tariff Payment Rate Table for Non-Photovoltaic Eligible Installations for FIT Year 5 (1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015) can be found here.
As ever, once you have absorbed these documents, your local District Chair should be your first port of call, particularly if there is a new planning application near you as yet unknown to us.
On Farm Anaerobic Digesters – read Dr Phillip Bratby’s presentation which he gave at our seminar on 21st November 2015  here CPRE Devon Presentation – On Farm Anaerobic Digestors
Latest News.  November 2016.  Read our Energy Spokesman, Dr Phillip Bratby’s personal opinion, in his report dated November 2016, entitled ‘The Disastrous Impact of Renewable Energy in Devon  http://www.cpredevon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Renewable-Energy-in-Devon.pdf       * Note: this is the personal opinion of Dr Phillip Bratby and is not necessarily endorsed by CPRE Devon.

Energy | Protecting Devon & Planning Appplications

The Western Morning News looked at the debate earlier this month:

Is renewable energy in Devon 'an unmitigated disaster'?

By JoeBulmer | Posted: June 19, 2017


"The renewable energy industry has been entirely dependent on subsidies for its growth and its survival."

Comments (5)

Countryside campaigners and renewable energy experts have clashed on how renewable energy has benefited the county, with campaigners calling it "an unmitigated disaster".

In a damning report published recently by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Devon trustee Phillip Bratby it states that the renewable energy industry in the South West "has been entirely dependent on subsidies for its growth and its survival".

Regen South West, an independent not-for-profit organisation set up to promote renewable energy in the region, has hit back at the CPRE report.

Regen chief executive Merlin Hyman has pointed out Mr Bratby's "views on climate change and renewables are somewhat at odds with those of the scientific community and indeed of CPRE nationally who commissioned Regen to look at how we can meet the Paris Climate Change Agreement whilst minimising landscape impacts".

In the report, published on CPRE Devon's website, it states: "The renewable energy industry has been entirely dependent on subsidies for its growth and its survival. The generation of energy from ineffective and inefficient renewable sources has created subsidised employment and has thus led to a huge reduction in productivity. Wealth has been destroyed on a massive scale.

"There is no evidence that the deployment of renewable energy has led to any reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions; on the contrary, it is possible that overall, emissions have increased. The deployment of renewable energy technologies has resulted in a detrimental impact on the landscape, on tranquillity, on heritage aspects, on residential amenity, on property values, on tourism, on local businesses, on agricultural land and on grid reliability and security of supply."


Sources of renewable energy have popped up all over Devon, earlier this month a solar farm near Holsworthy had it's temporary contract extend a further 15 years.

Mr Hyman disagrees with Mr Bratby and says far from taking away from local communities renewable energy brings people together.

"The extraordinary growth we are now seeing in renewable energy across the world is a source of hope, hope we are beginning to turn the tide on climate change, hope that humanity can turn our ingenuity to looking after the one planet we have and hope that change can be led by local communities working together," said Mr Hyman.

"The first working steam engine was built by Thomas Newcomen in Dartmouth in 1710. I am proud that three hundred years later Devon is once again playing a leading role in an energy revolution, this time by harnessing our natural resources to produce clean, renewable power locally.

"Already the UK produces 25% of its electricity from renewables and I have no doubt that in the years ahead we will be charging our smart phones and powering our washing machines with clean power harnessed from the sun and the wind."

Mr Bratby suggests in his report that the county would be better served by one gas fired power station, he wrote: "The amount of renewable electricity currently generated in the whole of the South West could be produced by a single generator at a gas-fired power station for less than a seventh of the capital cost.

"No subsidies would be required. The excess cost of renewable electricity to all consumers (domestic, industrial and commercial) in Devon is over £80 million per year and in the South West is over £400 million per year. The brunt of the extra costs has been felt most by those in fuel poverty."

"I conclude that the deployment of renewable energy in Devon and the South West has been an unmitigated disaster. The only beneficiaries have been landowners,developers, foreign manufacturers and renewable energy promoters."

CPRE UK's infrastructure campaigner Daniel Carey-Dawes commented: "Phillip Bratby's report is, as the director of CPRE Devon notes, a personal one, so he is of course welcome to his opinions of renewable energy.

"CPRE is concerned about the impact of any type of energy infrastructure on our celebrated landscapes and is actively looking at ways the UK can meet its carbon reduction targets without destroying our beautiful countryside, whether in Devon or elsewhere.

"However, climate change is the most urgent and complex environmental issue this country is facing and it is already taking its toll on the English countryside. If we don't do our best to reduce its impact, within a few decades it will have altered many of our most cherished landscapes forever."

To read Mr Bratby's report click here and to find out more about Regen South West click here.


Is renewable energy in Devon 'an unmitigated disaster'? | Devon Live
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Thursday 29 June 2017

Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation > 'this is not what we expected'

The Scoping Study report on Port Royal is now out:
Sidmouth seafront redevelopment plans revealed | Devon Live

 - with plenty of opinion already coming in:

Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> Scoping Study consultation >> "This does not make a good start to what is supposed to be a public consultation."

And suggestions of where Sidmouth might be heading:
Futures Forum: Plans for Port Royal: anticipating a Regeneration Board >> "BIG seafront development plans ... lots of income for land-holding EDDC and big income potential"

The latest opinion comes from one of the District Councillors for the area:

Leading councillor says she was 'alarmed' by Sidmouth seafront redevelopment plans

By DanielClark | Posted: June 29, 2017


Illustrations as to how the Port Royal area of Sidmouth could look as part of redevelopment plans have been revealed

A leading Sidmouth councillor has said she is 'alarmed' after illustrations as to how Sidmouth seafront could look as part of plans to redevelop the Port Royal area of the town have were revealed.

Consultants are carrying out a scoping study to assess the feasibility of redevelopment of the area on behalf of Sidmouth Town and East Devon District Councils who are the major landowners of the site.

Plans were put on show on Monday and Tuesday at consultation events at Kennaway House in Sidmouth and revealed that the seafront could get up to 30 flats that stand five storeys high.

But Cllr Cathy Gardner, who represents Sidmouth on East Devon District Council and is also the leader of the East Devon Alliance, said she was very surprised on Monday when she saw a five storey block of flats revealed on the consultation boards.

Cllr Gardner said: "We are concerned and I was alarmed at what I saw. At this early stage of the consultation, we expected to see a review of what the limitations of the site are and what would be possible. What we certainly did not expect to see what a five storey flats building included in the consultation board.

"I am alarmed that we are looking at five storey building within this area of the seafront. There will be a lot of discussion over the next month about this and I am sure we will get a lot of comments about what people want, but this is not what we expected."

She said that everyone accepts that the Port Royal area of the town, which includes The Ham, the riverside, the car park, fishing compound, the public toilets, the Drill Hall, the sailing club and the lifeboat station, does need something doing to it, but said that it should be something more in keeping with the town.

Cllr Gardner added: "The Port Royal area obviously needs something doing about it and does need to be tidied up and it could be made to look a lot more attractive. But it does it need a big building or five storey flats? No, it doesn't. We all agree that something needs to happen but it needs to be in keeping with the surrounding and we just want the area to look a bit nicer, and there is more than one way to achieve this.

"Ideally, what I would like is to see something for the area that benefits the community – not something of cash value rather something of community value. This is a huge opportunity to do something but need something in keeping and to be sympathetic to the area."

She added although it is a consultation exercise, it had the feel of something that was fait accompli, particularly as questionnaires as part of the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan survey asks residents their views about Port Royal area of the town are currently out with residents to fill in.

She added: "I am told that feedback from this will be taken into account, but it does seem to be putting the cart before the horse."

The consultation boards say: "The existing lifeboat station and sailing club need to have a waterfront location for operational reasons, but there are no obvious technical reasons that would prevent the lifeboat station, sailing club, Drill Hall and toilet block from being demolished with an alternative development provided on that part of the Study Area."

Under potential development opportunities, the boards say: "The development could comprise a building of between 3 and 5 storeys. It could be a single building incorporating various uses including a new lifeboat station, a multifunction unit that could incorporate the sailing club, other water related clubs already operating, public toilets and wider community use. Space could also be created for a café and restaurant. These could occupy the ground floor and first floor of the building.

"Up to thirty residential apartments with potential to be of various sizes could form part of this development occupying the second, third and fourth floors."

The illustrations on this board are only intended to give an impression of the scale and size of a building on the site and how it might appear in relation to other buildings nearby. It is not a proposal for how the building will look

"Pedestrianisation ofthe Esplanade from its junction with Ham Lane running eastwards towards Salcombe Hill would create an opportunity for a vibrant, active frontage to the new development on the allocated site where people can use the space free of traffic whilst maintaining access for emergency vehicles, e.g. lifeboat.

"An access road from Ham Lane could be created to provide additional pedestrian access through the site along with access for service vehicles, access to sailing club storage and some water users."

The Ham and East Street car parks have also been included in the scoping study area, but as they are within a high risk flood zone, further discussion will be required with both the Environment Agency and East Devon District Council planning department before any proposals can be taken forward.

Consultants will use the feedback to produce a set of recommendations that balance community expectations with what is achievable in the area.

These recommendations are expected to be considered by Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council later in the year.

You can fill in the survey here https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=14984725150...


Leading councillor says she was 'alarmed' by Sidmouth seafront redevelopment plans | Devon Live
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"Rubbish rubbish collection" in East Devon

Today's on-line Herald has a rather unpleasant story:
Maggots found in Sidmouth bin after three weeks with no collection - Breaking news & sport in Sidmouth | Sidmouth Herald

Despite promises of a 'new regime':
Recycling scheme to start in Sidmouth and Ottery on Monday - Breaking news & sport in Sidmouth | Sidmouth Herald

In fact, there has been a series of unpleasant stories covered by the EDW blog this week:


EDDC’S NEW RUBBISH RUBBISH COLLECTION

27 JUN 2017

From a correspondent:

“We are now in week 3 of the new collection scheme.

Week 1 (heatwave): Collection day Tuesday. Reported missed collection Wednesday morning. Told Thursday afternoon it had been collected but it hadn’t. Chased and chased.

Week 2 (still heatwave): Complained again because we had thousands of maggots crawling all over our kitchen waste bin (having been stood in the sun for more than a week). Eventually collection made – but this was not the missed one – it was the next one.

Week 3 (today): Bins not collected again. Call centre clogged with calls from irate residents. EDDC apologetic – and say that there are hundreds of people calling to complain – but simply wringing their hands, not actually doing anything to fix it.

It’s funny, isn’t it, how EDDC PR dept can churn out PR after PR hyping what the council claims it is doing well – but not a peep out of them we residents deserve an apology and an explanation and details of an action plan to fix it.”


EDDC’s new rubbish rubbish collection | East Devon Watch


OTTERY ST MARY COMPLAINS ABOUT RUBBISH RUBBISH COLLECTIONS

27 JUN 2017

Comments from Ottery Matters blog:

“… My parents has been missed ever since the new service started. Think they eventually got it collected last Friday after making several calls to EDDC.”

… There is an eddc app that you can use to report missed collections too.

… I spoke with the Waste Collection team earlier this afternoon – there as a long wait on hold, and when I eventually got through I was told that there have been hundreds of complaints about non-collection. Apparently many homes have been missed off the new routes.

First week of new scheme (in the heat wave) we had no collection and ended up with hundreds of maggots crawling out and over our food waste bin. Disgusting!!

So it seems like the new scheme is having major teething issues – and EDDC is failing to get the contractor to get on top of the issues.

… Neither has ours in Knightstones.

… We’ve been waiting 3 weeks in rockbeare! Well just our lane actually! Think we’ve been erased from the map!

… General enquiry. Has anyone else’s recycling not been collected for the last 2 weeks or is it just sunnyhill?”


Ottery St Mary complains about rubbish rubbish collections | East Devon Watch
Ottery Matters public group | Facebook


NEW REFUSE COLLECTION SCHEDULES: HAS EDDC GOT ITS PRIORITIES WRONG?

29 JUN 2017

From a correspondent:

“A couple of very nice Suez employees turned up this morning to pick up our recycling – because we complained (again) on the day at 6pm that it had not been collected, though it was in fact collected on the correct day if rather late in the day i.e. c. 6:30pm.

The employees very kindly explained that the system is not working because they do not have enough lorries. My initial thought was that Suez should buy some more, however it turns out that, so they said, it is not Suez’s fault at all, but (surprise, surprise [sic.]) EDDC’s.

Apparently they say that Suez’s contract with EDDC is to run the collection using vehicles provided by EDDC, and EDDC are simply not providing sufficient vehicles for the number of homes in East Devon, and in particular are not providing enough lorries to cope with the growth in housing numbers. So they say the staff are working many more overtime hours than they would like and are still struggling to make all the collections needed.

Once again it seems that EDDC have got their priorities wrong. They can waste several million pounds on a vanity project for new offices – the financial business case for which would be very suspect if EDDC had actually produced a financial business case – but they cannot afford to provide sufficient vehicles for collecting waste.”

Owl welcomes comment from EDDC for balance.


New refuse collection schedules: has EDDC got its priorities wrong? | East Devon Watch

All sorts of promises were made back in 2015:
Futures Forum: Rubbish collection - or not - in Sidmouth and East Devon
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Climate Hope Day > Thursday 29th June

Today is Climate Hope Day - as brought to you by the campaign group 10:10:

Today is Climate Hope Day - a celebration of people all over the world who are tackling climate change by rolling up their sleeves and taking matters into their own hands.
Climate Hope: real signs of a brighter future
Today is Climate Hope Day - a celebration of people all over the world who are tackling climate change by rolling up their sleeves and taking matters into their own hands.
We’ve gathered a collection of inspiring tales of success. Together, they tell the story of things going right when it comes to tackling climate change. It’s the story of progress, possibility and hope.
We’ve got an animal sanctuary using solar panels to better care for kittens and the planet, an amazing community wind farm that’s inspiring local children, London black cabs going electric, and carbon cutting breweries.
Westmill farm Teckels animal sanctuary
We all need stories of like these to inspire us - to keep pushing forward, to keep fighting for a bright future.
The point of a good story is to tell it. So share the hope with your friends and family, and help build a future that’s clean and bright. And if you’d like a weekly dose of climate optimism, be sure to sign up, too.
See the stories.
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10:10 brings people together to do positive, practical stuff that helps tackle climate change.





Stories of Climate Hope — 10:10
10:10
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