Plans for Port Royal: Eastern Town then and now

Sidmouth  today is not so different to Sidmouth from 'years gone by' - which is why so many of us are attracted to the place.

There are some fine photographs of the town and environs at the English Heritage Archive (formerly the National Monuments Record ) located at the GWRailway works in Swindon. Containing about 13 million photos including aerial photos and national archaeological sites, the archive is kept chilled in a state of the art climate control building for future generations to come.
See the English Heritage at ViewFinder - Home

However, whilst most of the centre of Sidmouth remains relatively unchanged over the last century or so, the character of Eastern Town is completely different. Large car parks have replaced the former layout of small streets and alleyways, with its pubs and workshops, fisherman's cottages and small shops.

This image of Eastern Town in 1932 is from another archive available on-line:
Britain from Above | Rescue the Past

The Eastern Town, Sidmouth, 1932 | Britain from Above

Compare this with the map of the same area - 
produced recently by  Gerald Counter and Graham Cooper:

Gerald Counter was a much-respected Sidmouthian, with 'a fountain of information about the area'. His life story has just been finished:
Friend helps old Sidmothian finish autobiography - Features - Sidmouth Herald 
Tributes to ‘true Sidmothian’ who never wanted to leave - News - Sidmouth Herald 
www.sidmouth.gov.uk/PDFs/Community Information/Sidmouth Street Names.pdf

Graham Cooper, active Vision Group member, has revisited the site, reinstating York Street and other elements which used to exist in Eastern Town. 

Sidmouth, Devon. Belvedere, Port Royal, Fortfield
This would fulfil the District Council's stated aim of having 'mixed development' on the site:
Futures Forum: VGS AGM: sustainable communities in East Devon

And it might avoid this central part of Sidmouth becoming 'a retail mall and multi-storey car park'...
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