- Target:
- East Devon District Council
- Region:
- United Kingdom
- Website:
- www.sidvaleassociation.org.uk
Save our Sidmouth thanks all those who have supported our petition, either in paper format or online. The online petition closed on 5 June 2012, for printing and submission together with the paper petition on 7 June 2012 to Mark Williamson, Chairman of the Development Management Committee for East Devon District Council.
SOS
SAVE OUR SIDMOUTH
The Sid Vale Association, the Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce, the Sidmouth Hospitality Association and the Vision Group for Sidmouth have joined forces to form “Save our Sidmouth” (SOS).
Our main objective is to ensure that East Devon District Council (EDDC) takes into account the wishes and comments of civic groups and the residents of the town in the preparation of the EDDC Local Development Plan. This is the plan that determines the development strategy for the next 15 years for the council area. It has specific proposals for Sidmouth and Sidford.
We also wish, in the longer term, to encourage and assist Sidmouth Town Council (STC) to prepare a “Neighbourhood Plan”.
The Local Development Plan is in preparation by EDDC and the last draft was published late last year for public comment. The above organisations commented, as did many individuals. EDDC are considering these and will publish their final draft in the summer of 2012.
Specifically the plan proposes an employment area of 12 acres in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Sidford. They have abandoned plans to develop housing and employment at Woolbrook.
Very little if any justification is given for the proposals.
Significant omissions from the plan include:
• Proposals for regeneration of the Eastern (Port Royal) end of town
• The probable vacation of the Knowle by EDDC, and the effect that this would have on the town.
• Any overall traffic or pedestrian strategy.
Since we commented officially on the Plan, we have become aware of other, more specific, EDDC proposals, relating to the sites for new housing estates and employment land.
The organisations forming SOS are not against development; we would for instance welcome some Affordable Housing in the town. However we believe that proposals in the Plan lack justification and that decisions are being taken by EDDC that do not properly reflect public interest and concerns.
Sid Vale Association,
Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce
Sidmouth Hospitality Association
Vision Group for Sidmouth
We, the undersigned (not signatories of the paper petition) wish here to register our strong objection to the EDDC Local Development Plan proposals for Sidmouth, which, in particular:
• Promote building within the AONB and specifically the creation of 12 acres of Employment land at Sidford.
• Omit mention of EDDC’s intentions to relocate from the Knowle and its subsequent use, but allocate 50 new dwellings there.
The Local Development Plan provides no clear evidence for the need for these proposals. We urge the EDDC to engage with the residents of the Sid Valley and to reconsider its overall strategy for the economy of the area.
The Save Our Sidmouth petition to East Devon District Council was written by Save-our-Sidmouth and is in the category Local Government at GoPetition.