Campigners emboldened by county council
CAMPAIGN group, fighting plans to grow East Devon by a third over the next 15 years, has welcomed a ‘common sense’ response by Devon County Council.
CAMPAIGN group, fighting plans to grow East Devon by a third over the next 15 years, has welcomed a ‘common sense’ response by Devon County Council.
Communities Before Developers says that DCC’s views on the district council’s Local Development Framework, a vision for 3,000 new homes in Exmouth, has legitimised not only their concerns but those of residents.
The consultation ended at the end of last month – and the county council has espoused a litany of criticisms which include weakening protections for landscapes, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from development.
Following the consultation a Government inspector will assess the final Core Strategy next year.
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And county chiefs said if the current housing proposals and ‘significant over-provision’ of employment land reappear in the plan’s final draft they could be declared unsound.
If that happens the district council could be forced to start again from scratch – which could take up to three years.
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Dr Ian Harrison, DCC’s Deputy Environment Director, said: “The county council does have concerns about the justification for the overall scale of housing and employment land provision anticipated in the plan.
“In the case of employment land particularly, there is a risk that the plan may not be considered sound.
“The scale of provision for employment land identified for in the emerging Core Strategy needs to be justified on the basis of clear evidence and analysis.”
Claire Wright, CBD campaigner said: “Devon County Council has given EDDC a clear message that their over-scaled, environmentally damaging plans for artificial growth are unacceptable.
“It supports much of what we have been saying up until now.”
For up-to-date information on the progression of both the CBD campaign and the LDF visit www.communitiesbeforedevelopers.org
