Futures Forum: Public Examination of the New East Devon Local Plan ..... Sidmouth session - Tues 25th February
The Vision Group was set up largely to commend the residents' vision to the Local Development Framework which was to become the Local Plan;
Vision Group for Sidmouth - Home
Vision Group for Sidmouth - Original Vision Group Report
The Vision Group has endeavoured to act as a forum for discussion of issues and to enable the gathering and dissemination of information. Its Futures Forum submitted its latest representations in October last year:
The Vision Group for Sidmouth, as part of the Transition Town movement Welcome | Transition Network, believes that strategic planning should have sustainability at its heart.
It is to be welcomed, therefore, that the District Council has actively adopted these ideas in general policy terms Futures Forum: Sustainable Development: and East Devon and as laid out it its Sustainability Appraisal East Devon District Council - Sustainability Appraisal and Habitat Regulations – although it is still not clear exactly how its ‘objectives’ have been measured, for example, that there should be ‘no increase in flooding’ at Sidford.
Nevertheless, it is also to be welcomed that the District Council has actively sought to engage with the VGS on planning issues Futures Forum: Development for Sustainability: Futures Forum meeting.
There are specifically two areas of the latest draft Local Plan East Devon District Council - Proposed Post-Publication Changes which the Futures Forum of the VGS would like to address, in the light of its own ‘consultations’.
SIDFORD EMPLOYMENT LAND: USE
The District Council will be aware of the tendency for A1/A2 land-use to be granted in East Devon over time, following B1/B2 approvals Futures Forum: What is the difference between a 'business park'... and a 'retail park'?, Futures Forum: What is the difference between a 'business park'... and a 'retail park'... Part Two – which might explain the ‘minor’ change to “Strategy 26 - Development at Sidmouth: ® 6.133” to include ‘retail’ as a matter of course at the proposed employment land site at Sidford.
However, if the District Council were serious in its contention that ‘There is little doubt that town centres are under increasing pressure from the competition coming from out-of-town trading'
http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/vhstc_taff_report_270912.pdf,
http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/vhstc_taff_report_270912.pdf,
then this ‘minor’ change should not be included.
The VGS therefore proposes that
‘2. Jobs - provision of up to 5 hectares of additional employment land, with a particular onus on B1 space with uses (with any retail “ancillary to primary use of each unit”).
should be rewritten as
‘2. Jobs - provision of up to 5 hectares of additional employment land, with only B1/B2/B8 space permitted, to the exclusion of any retail.’
SIDFORD EMPLOYMENT LAND: FLOODING
Whilst the initial proposals for development of employment land at Sidford refer to ‘sustainable development’ and that ‘The proposals for the site fully address on and off-site flood risk and make full provision for these in accordance with current planning policy (NPPF and local policy) and the current requirements of the Environment Agency’ www.eastdevon.gov.uk/1967-fordscontextlogic-josephmarchant-6_133efloodriskassessment.pdf – and whilst the District Council describes the site as Flood Zone 2 in its Local Plan documentation http://maps2.eastdevon.gov.uk/mapping/localplan/, the Halcrow Group rates most of the site as Flood Zone 3B http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/plg_sframainreport01.pdf which the Environment Agency itself clearly warns about Environment Agency - Watch our short animation of surface water flooding. (See‘Sustainable development’ at Sidford Fields? | Save Our Sidmouth, EAFloodmapSidford.)
The VGS therefore proposes that
‘2. Jobs - provision of up to 5 hectares of additional employment land, with a particular onus on B1 space with uses (with any retail “ancillary to primary use of each unit”).
should be rewritten as:
‘2. Jobs - provision of up to 5 hectares of additional employment land, with only B1/B2/B8 space permitted, to the exclusion of any retail,’
and:
‘but only as a remote contingency – following the 5 year review of the Local Plan and only once exceptional need has been demonstrated and serious drawbacks overcome, namely the threat to the viability of Sidmouth’s economy, its high street and current employment sites – and the threat of flooding on a floodplain within an AONB.’
Vision Group for Sidmouth - VGS Futures Forum - comment on District Council Local Plan
This is largely in accordance with other members of the Save Our Sidmouth grouping:
Sidford Fields – AONB or business park? | Save Our Sidmouth
... and with the views of most residents in Sidford:
“Sheer madness” if the employment land were given the go-ahead, says Sidford resident. | Save Our Sidmouth
Access road to planned Sidford business park | Save Our Sidmouth
... and with the chair of the Local Development Panel:
The one strange event which I did take exception to and voted against was the late addition of the business land in the AONB at Sidford, which I voted against but was outvoted.
There is one last special meeting of the special Development Management Committee in July which can make minor amendments to the plan following the final public consultation. I intend to challenge this Sidford decision again on several material issues which can carry weight with the Planning Inspector. I am also in the process of assessing the comments made in the consultation to understand what Town Councils and members of the Public AND businesses want.
Task and Finish Forum advised not to look into employment land issues. | Save Our SidmouthFutures Forum: Lobbying and transparency, continued...
See also:
Futures Forum: Sidford business park: latest plans
Futures Forum: Sidford plans in detail
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