TDC Local Plan (short version)

There is a more detailed explanation of the local plan here : https://kennvalley.mycouncillor.org.uk/2023/01/15/tdc-local-plan-publication-and-consultation/

The new Teignbridge local plan has been published. This is important and will shape development for the next 20 years.

There have been consultations on policies and on sites put forward by landowners, site inspections to understand local factors, to help officers assess the merits and constraints of sites and write a plan with the best policies and choices to meet the required numbers.

The current plan is out of date and allocated sites are running out. TDC must provide 741 houses per year. Without an updated plan developers will soon be able to appeal refusals and build where they like.

Gove recently said housing numbers are ‘advisory’, but he has not changed the law. TDC cannot afford to wait but we don’t want to lock-in these numbers, so we added a clause to review the plan if the law changes. The 741 houses include a 41% uplift over other areas, because Teignbridge prices are higher than salaries. This is supposed to bring down house prices, but it doesn’t work. There are better ways to make housing more affordable.

The plan also specifies sites including Markhams and Attwells farms. We opposed these large sites with concerns about the roads and green space. We campaigned to save the county farms and we are disappointed better sites could not be found.

There are good policies in the plan including carbon neutral housing, sooner than national legislation. Specific policies encourage renewable energy. There is a chapter on climate change replacing a policy. There are improvements on environment and biodiversity and public green space. A new cut and fill policy encourages developers to minimise waste soils by accommodating on site. This will reduce the need for sites like Lower Hare and Lower Brenton.

The plan will soon start the final consultation until 13th March. The link to post feedback will appear on the TDC website. There is more information there and on our Kenn Valley Councillors website.

Please feel free to email us and respond to the consultation. Thank you.

Andy Swain, Alison Foden, Charles Nuttall and Alan Connett

Balls Farm Road

After years of campaigning by Andy Swain, with support from locals, Ide Parish Council, West Exe School and Alan Connett County Councillor, Devon highways have shifted their position and agreed to a trial closure to protect Balls farm Road.

The closure will be on doctors walk, rather than Balls Farm Road as previously suggested. This will give less protection to Ball farm Road Than closure at the twisted oak, but has the advantage it will stop the separate problem of fast traffic up little Johns cross hill, and also I hope, will be less disruption to the residents. It could halve the traffic on Balls farm Road which will be a huge improvement. We will do surveys to establish if it does.

It will still be illegal to shortcut down Little Johns Cross Hill and up Balls Farm Road, as it always has been. Devon County Council will be monitoring the closure, and I hope residents of the roads and surrounding areas will enjoy the benefit of finally stopping the rat running traffic and having a safe protecting walking and cycling route into exeter from Ide.

Exeter in turn benefits from a significant extension of it’s good quality cycle network into a village outside the A30 barrier.

http://idevillage.org.uk/notice-of-temporary-closure-of-doctors-walk-to-through-traffic-except-for-bicycles/

https://kennvalley.mycouncillor.org.uk/

Active travel at Alphington Roundabout

There is government money at the moment to encourage active travel (Walking and Cycling). Alan Connett has raised concern at DCC that it is being hoovered up by large urban centres, Exeter and Newton Abbot and not enough is being done to link up with rural communities on the outskirts and grow the network.

Andy Swain has raised the suggestion of making the Alphington Junction safer for pedestrians and cyclists between C50 and Old Ide Lane, Alphington, Marsh barton and the River, by closing one lane permanently as it has been recently with the road works.

The lane closure makes this very difficult crossing much easier and safer, and has virtually no effect on traffic, because only one lane of traffic at a time  flows into that slip road.

In response Yvonne Atkinson ECC Councillor says it is a Highways England matter, which is true it is, however Highways England say they would be guided by the County Council/Devon Highways, and Devon Highways have responded very positively to the idea. So overall it’s a promising response.

Cutting Speed at The Firs

A petition to cut traffic speed at Firs Park, organised by councillors Alan Connett and Andy Swain, with 56 signatures from residents and regular visitors to the park, was delivered to Devon County Council at the cabinet meeting on wednesday.

“We are residents and visitors to Firs Park, a residential park at Bakers Hill, Pocombe Bridge, just outside Exeter. We take our lives in our hands to cross the road or leave the entrance to our site. We call on Devon County Council to cut the speed limit so that it is no more than 30mph at the entrance to Firs Park. We genuinely fear for our safety and want action to make this road safe.”

The Devon Carbon Plan

You can now submit your ideas for the #DevonCarbonPlan

DCC have opened up an invitation for ideas for the Devon Carbon Plan

The Task Force has issued a call for evidence and will be conducting a series of hearings, to help gather views, evidence and data which will be used as a foundation from which to develop recommendations for the Devon Carbon Plan.

The Devon Carbon Plan Recommendations developed by the task force will be put to a Citizens’ Assembly. The assembly will comprise a representative sample of Devon’s citizens from different social backgrounds, including young people. They will have the opportunity to develop informed opinions and collectively discuss and review policy recommendations on decarbonising Devon.