Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Knowle relocation project: latest news on ...... FOI request goes to tribunal ... and ... Knowle on the market

There has been quite a lot of interest in the contest over whether or not to publish reports on the District Council's project to relocate from Knowle:

The Tribunal heard the case last month in Exeter:

The latest news is quite limited: 
> The parties have been given further time to hand in their last pieces of evidence and supporting submissions.
> The Tribunal's panel will then finalise their reasons and publish their decision ‘a few weeks after 16th October’.

Meanwhile, the District Council has put the property on the market:

... and hopes to let the full council know how much it will get for Knowle:

The District Council offices are set within landscaped gardens with southerly sea views. The offices comprise of the original buildings together with a range of extensions and a number of purpose built office buildings built in 1978 and 1983. The buildings are mainly two and three storey. The offices, according to DEC, extend to approximately 83,119 sq ft (7,722 sq m) GIFA. The overall site extends to approximately 4.76 acres (1.92 hectares). There are three points of access into the Knowle; two off Knowle Drive and one off Station Road. They all lead to the offices. There is also a footpath link to Knowle Drive, but this is not a public right of way. Also on site is a Council depot and associated car parking. The property is, for identification purposes only, outlined red on the site plan. The area hatched blue will be sold subject to a restrictive covenant. This area will not be developed other than for the purposes of facilitating road and services improvements. The Knowle is within the built-up area of Sidmouth. The lawful use of the property is B1 offices and the depot is an ancillary use to the main offices. The Knowle has the benefit of a draft allocation for 50 dwellings in the East Devon District Council – East Devon Local Plan 2006-2026 – Proposed Submission (Publication) November 2012 incorporating changes consulted on 23 August 2013 – 7 October 2013 (Strategy 26).

Savills UK | The Knowle | Development | To Buy

There are some questions in the particulars:

> Some references are made to the Victorian features of the original building:

> They do not mention that the hotel was converted into flats during the 1960s:

> There is reference to the 'draft Local Plan' for 50 dwellings - but this is a long way off and involves several other related issues:

> The District Council will take conditional offers - as there is not yet planning permission. 
The Outline Planning Application was dismissed in March 2013:

> The footprint of the Savills details go beyond the current building:


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