Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: Pegasus as preferred bidder... However, its proposals for ‘one of the finest coastal properties’ in South Devon have been rejected by Dawlish Town Council 'on the grounds of overdevelopment'.
Questions were raised at the time:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: Is the site being sold off cheaply? The Knowle site is valued at £7million ... whereas the Alexandria Road site was valued at £9million
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project >>> The site hosts 'what could be the largest population of the endangered lesser horseshoe bat in Devon.'
Fears were expressed around the expropriation of land:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: "The great garden grab"
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: Legal notice for 'Disposal' and 'Appropriation' of Open Space: reminder from SOS: Deadline for comments >>> Friday 20th February
Nevertheless, the District Council has promised to give the remaining parkland at Knowle to the Town Council:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Town Council: first meeting following elections >>> reports >>> Neighbourhood Plan >>> Knowle Public Open Space
Moving and Improving: all you need to know about the office relocation - Council agrees to proposed move from Knowle HQ - East Devon
Sidmouth Town Council adamantly opposed to EDDC “appropriating” extra land to develop at Knowle | Save Our Sidmouth
Last month, contracts were exchanged:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: contracts exchanged for sale with preferred bidder Pegasus
As reported in the View from Sidmouth:
SIDMOUTH: Council exchange contracts with Pegasus Life for Knowle
23rd July 2015 by Jack Dixon jack@pemedia.co.uk
DISTRICT bosses have hailed an important milestone in the sale of the Knowle site in Sidmouth, after contracts were formally exchanged with retirement developer Pegasus Life.
The agreement follows months of detailed negotiations over the future of East Devon District Council’s current headquarters and paves the way for the authority’s relocation to twin sites in Honiton and Exmouth by the end of 2017.
It was also revealed that the developer’s plans for Knowle include a restaurant, spa and other public facilities.
It is understood that Pegasus will buy some of the site for a new retirement complex, with the remaining parkland to be managed by Sidmouth Town Council.
In a statement issued on Thursday (July 16th), an EDDC spokesman said: “East Devon District Council is delighted to report that after detailed negotiation, contracts have today been exchanged with Pegasus Life for the sale of the Knowle site.
“This is an important milestone in our plans to move headquarters to our new sites in Honiton and Exmouth. There is still a long way to go as we move through future work, such as planning, design, construction and the move itself, which is planned for October 2017.”
The spokesman added: “Pegasus will provide, on part of the Knowle site, a high quality retirement and assisted-living community, including restaurant, spa and other facilities that will also be available to use by the public. Furthermore, the facility will create jobs and generate new spend in Sidmouth. Also, this important step forward happens alongside the council's continued commitment to hand over the remaining parkland to the ownership of Sidmouth Town Council.”
SIDMOUTH: Council exchange contracts with Pegasus Life for Knowle - View from Sidmouth
This is the take from the East Devon Watch blog - plus comment:
CART BEFORE HORSE AND JUMPING THE GUN AT KNOWLE WITH PEGASUS LIFE?
22 JULY 2015
Mention is made in today’s Midweek Herald that contracts have been exchanged with Pegasus Life for a residential and assisted living complex at Knowle, with a spa and restaurant which will be open to the public.
Isn’t there just the little problem of putting in a planning application and getting it approved first?
Or is this not the way things are done in East Devon?
Their 16 storey high-rise development in Sutton Coldfield wasn’t popular:
http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/sutton-coldfield-care-village-plans-7872196
Network Rail is VERY unhappy with them in Dawlish and said they could be committing an “act of nuisance”:
http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2015/01/09-dawlish-plan-could-be-act.html
and their demolition of part of a Grade 2 listed mansion in Sevenoaks to provide a car park and kitchens wasn’t well received either:
http://www.sevenoakschronicle.co.uk/8203-30m-renovation-Seal-mansion-set-green-light/story-26415596-detail/story.html
Related
Knowle: another question
Pegasus senior officer has colourful (and expensive) local authority past
Tory Cabinet member has a number of reservations about Knowle relocation costs
Tory Cabinet member has a number of reservations about Knowle relocation costs
3 thoughts on “Cart before horse and jumping the gun at Knowle with Pegasus Life ?”
Tim says:22 Jul 2015 at 8:16pm
The Chief Development Officer on the company website (http://www.pegasuslife.co.uk/corporate/#company) is a John Betty who looks remarkably similar to a previously handsomely paid John Betty then of Bath and North East Somerset Council (Banes). According to a BBC news item, Mr Betty was the director and sole employee of the company providing his services to Banes. His earnings, and the manner of his employment at the time was then the subject of a number of comments
Cart before horse and jumping the gun at Knowle with Pegasus Life ? | East Devon Watch
The exchange of contracts for Knowle sale dependent on Planning Application approval | Save Our Sidmouth
See also:
Pegasus senior officer has colourful (and expensive) local authority past | East Devon Watch
Knowle sold to Pegasus today | East Devon Watch
And:
BBC v Cabinet Office: parallels to Knowle relocation Freedom of Information debacle | East Devon Watch
Crowdfunding target reached, in just 3 days. | Save Our Sidmouth
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