There has been concern over the removal of a council doctrine preventing ‘noisy, smelly and dirty’ businesses’ being built next to homes in East Devon’s villages.
The local development framework panel has been charged with drawing up a blueprint outlining how many new homes and industrial units they think should be built in East Devon up to 2026.
The panel had their final meeting last week before the document goes to public consultation. But a member of the panel, Councillor Claire Wright, who was elected on an anti-development platform, has expressed concern that the Bad Neighbour Uses policy has been excluded from the document.
She said: “I was surprised that the panel voted through the deletion of the ‘Bad Neighbour Uses’ policy which protects residents from noisy, smelly or dirty businesses from starting up near them.
“I argued strongly against the deletion of the policy on the basis it could be damaging to residents. I believe it… sends a message to developers that EDDC is less concerned about the issue.
“I am convinced it is not in the interests of East Devon residents, particularly combined with the proposals for industrial and commercial units in villages.”
She said she was also concerned about new proposals to allow warehouses to be built within communities as part of a development of 10 or more dwellings.
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