www.eastdevon.gov.uk/101213lscagendacombined.pdf
www.eastdevon.gov.uk/app_list_23_10_13.pdf
www.eastdevon.gov.uk/160413lscagendacombined.pdf
The story first broke in October:
Sidmouth Folk week - Welcome to Sidmouth FolkWeek!
New campsite and venue is ‘biggest change’ in Sidmouth FolkWeek history - News - Sidmouth Herald
View From Online - News from West Dorset, East Devon & South Somerset
This is a very attractive spot:
Salcombe Hill - Walk - South West Coast Path
The venue would be flat (as opposed to the current site on Bulverton hill) but there are several concerns about traffic, for example:
As explained at the “Mediation Meeting”, they are proposing to make the whole of the route from Sidmouth [via Salcombe Hill] to the A3052 a no parking zone with a traffic light system between the Salcombe Regis war Memorial and Thorn Farm.
This traffic light system will create a rat-run through Salcombe Regis village in order to miss the traffic lights. This is unacceptable.
1) Salcombe Hill Road is unsuitable for the volume of traffic which would be generated.
2) All routes leading to Salcombe Hill Road are unsuitable.
3) Local residential roads will become gridlocked as people search for free parking.
4) Local residents will have difficulty and delay accessing their homes and may be cut off from emergency services.
5) Pedestrians accessing the folk week venues and walkers on the coastal path will face an unnecessary level of risk from increased traffic.
My main objection, however, is the affect it will have on Salcombe Hill Road, which is the only road access to the site from Sidmouth. This is a narrow, steep, tortuous road totally unsuited to a high volume of traffic. It is particularly unsuitable for pedestrians. This will represent a danger to all users of this road when so many of them are likely to be under the influence of alcohol.
Devon Highways are yet to comment.
There are also concerns as to the effect on the environment:
This is a peaceful location situated on one of the area’s highest spots, so that sound will easily travel to affect residents in Salcombe Regis and the eastern side of Sidmouth. I see no reason why it should be deemed necessary to provide entertainment, food and drink into the small hours of each morning, disturbing the sleep of local residents and also affecting local wildlife, while the same amount of provision could be achieved by shifting the whole timetable forwards 3 hours.
Of course the effect on the environment of all the litter (and worse) that is bound to be scattered, not just at the site itself, but all along Salcombe Hill Road is another major cause for concern.
There is an excellent overview of the issues at SeeRed:
Proposed relocation of the Sidmouth FolkWeek (Sidmouth Folk Festival) campsite and dance venue.
And a lively discussion thread at The Mudcat Cafe:
mudcat.org: Sidmouth campsite to move?
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