Knowle relocation project: developer's use of car park a ‘slap in the face’

To reblog something from earlier in the year: 

One of the main concerns about the PegasusLife development at Knowle was that it would not take into account the flooding issues on the site:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and flooding
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and '‘minimalist flood prevention measures’'
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: dealing with flood risk from over-development is 'not technically feasible'

Planning officers were not particularly bothered:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: planning application to be considered by District Council: Tuesday 6th December >>> planning officers brush aside planning policies

However, the County council has been looking at how to alleviate the risks:
Flood investigations, reports and studies | Flood Risk Management
Plan to prevent £12million of flood damage in Sidmouth | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald

And this will not only help the developer at Knowle - but will also mean they won't have to pay, as noted by the East Devon Watch blog:
New Knowle owners will benefit from £750,000 taxpayer-funded flood prevention scheme | East Devon Watch 

And so, flood attenuation measures were promised for Sidmouth:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: County Council to spend £0.75m against flood risk

However, the very developers who will not have to pay for a possible increase in flood risk have asked for a postponement - as noted by the East Devon Watch blog:
Sidmouth flood defences delayed so PegasusLife can gobble up car parks and meadows to store building materials! | East Devon Watch

The Herald reports:

£750k flood scheme delayed and ‘up in the air’ following car park agreement

PUBLISHED: 12:35 28 November 2018 | UPDATED: 12:39 28 November 2018

Clarissa Place

Negotiations between EDDC and PegasusLife about taking over the lower car park and flower meadow for the developer's equipment while it turns the Knowle building into a retirement complex have raised concerns. Picture: Canva Simon Horn/PegasusLife/Ed Dolphin

A £750,000 scheme to protect hundreds of town-centre homes and businesses from flooding looks set to be delayed until the building of a controversial 113-home retirement community at Knowle is completed.

Set in delightful grounds, the headquarters of EDDC at Knowle. Photo by Simon Horn. Ref shs 7658-15-12SH. To order your copy of this photograph go to www.sidmouthherald.co.uk

The news comes after the district council agreed with developers PegasusLife to allow the use of the lower car park and nearby flower meadow for storage space during construction. It is not yet clear on what basis the council’s car park is being used.

The use of the lower car park would mean phase two of the £759,000 Sidmouth Surface Water Improvement Scheme will have to be redrawn as the proposed lagoon feature and above ground storage area are located adjacent to the car park.

Devon county councillor Stuart Hughes said officers will meet the district council on Thursday (November 29) to discuss options at the site. Cllr Hughes said: “After all the work that’s gone into getting the funding for the scheme, it will be delayed.

PegasusLife's plans for Knowle

“East Devon District Council [EDDC] has agreed to the storage equipment of PegasusLife for their construction and will not allow county to use this area until after construction is complete.

“Hopefully the officers will find out at the meeting which option they prefer and whether we can achieve the level of flood improvements we desire.

“I do hope that we can find an alternative for the lagoon SUDS system so that the 300 properties and businesses in the town will be protected from future flood events.”

An EDDC spokeswoman said the authority is in discussion with the partners involved.

In January, PegasusLife won an appeal to turn EDDC’s headquarters at Knowle into a large scale 113-home retirement community after its application was rejected in December 2016.

Campaigner Ed Dolphin has slammed the use of the car park as a ‘slap in the face’ and claims it is likely to be a blow to Sidmouth’s economy as it might affect the park and walk service into town.

Mr Dolphin said: “Many people objected to the Knowle development as a blight on the green corridor as visitors entered the town. This move will bring it to the forefront, right down to the roadside.

“Even worse, it seems that the developers need even more space and so they are to be given the flower meadow next to the car park as well, the one that was mown by mistake in the summer and which EDDC promised to care for in the future. The meadow is already waterlogged for the winter and storing building materials and machinery on it will probably ruin it for years.

“I do not see why PegasusLife need this extra space, their site has three large car park areas that could be used for storage at various times in the development.”

He called the park and walk car park in Station Road a ‘valuable asset’ as it reduced the strain on the town centre, was popular in the winter and boosted the town’s independent traders.

PegasusLife has been approached for a comment.

Exclusive: Knowle car park discussions between EDDC and PegasusLife set to delay £750k flood plans | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald

See also:
Futures Forum: "Blundering council worker flattens Big Butterfly Count meadow" in the Knowle parkland > international coverage
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