With the coming of Iceland and the purchase of Somerfield s by the Co-op, both of which will benefit from EDDC s proposed gilt edged investment in a multi-storey car park at London Inn, plus the final demise of ASDA s interest in Exmouth, they being no lo

With the coming of Iceland and the purchase of Somerfield's by the Co-op, both of which will benefit from EDDC's proposed gilt edged investment in a multi-storey car park at London Inn, plus the final demise of ASDA's interest in Exmouth, they being no longer able to afford inclusion of the long list of additional must haves, the whole situation viz a viz a supermarket and what can be financed out of it on the estuary side site, clearly needs an urgent and serious rethink, as your letter and those of several others published in the Journal on 19th February, said.

But, despite all, including the fiendishly difficult site constraints, the original requirements of Local Policy LEX 6 can still be delivered in essence, as the attached compromise sketch diagram shows, although it has to be said, that it would depend for its success on Somerfield's business being able to move to a larger new building next to the Leisure Centre and for their old home being able to be acquired or leased to be converted to a Library and a Community Centre and Hall.

The resulting smaller commercial input would generate a smaller Section 106 whole community benefit and so would, therefore, need additional funding, probably using some of the seventeen million taken in rates each year from Exmouth to do it - but as a one off, why not ?

Replacing the too small and outdated Exmouth Library in Exeter Road, with its pokey wood and paper filled upstairs staff, work, storage and rest areas and difficult exit in case of fire, has long been agreed by Devon County Council, subject to a public/private finance initiative, seen by them as the most cost effective means, being found.

So any sort of serious rethink needs to include some way, as ASDA found, of replacing the old library as well, hence all I have outlined above as a possible comprehensive compromise solution post-ASDA - another way.

Not a perfect solution or a perfect layout, but probably doable and in all the circumstances given, is there any other way of delivering such a comprehensive and widely spread whole community benefit?

Patrick Moore

18 Hamilton Court, Salterton Road, Exmouth