Local anger as EDDC to hear two applications for housing developments in Feniton
A newly formed East Devon campaign group is set to stage its first protest demonstration in Feniton on Saturday 23 March against "environmentally damaging new national planning regulations".
The 'funeral' march, which is being organised by the East Devon Alliance (EDA) at Feniton, will aim to draw attention to the serious problems caused in the district by the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), now almost a year old.
The EDA says: "The NPPF will and is affecting Feniton, and will affect all in East Devon before long. The Local Plan says 35 houses for Feniton (5%), but the current three developments proposed mean 285 houses, and the village will grow by 40%!"
"On 'Black Wednesday' (27 March), the environmental problems will become even more serious as all councils without adopted Local Plans, inc EDDC, will be forced to apply a presumption in favour of development, which will allow far more building in inappropriate places."
Feniton resident Lucie Simic has shared with The Exeter Daily an open letter sent to the EDDC:
Dear Mr Diviani,
I am writing this as a resident of the beleaguered village of Feniton. As you are very much aware, in recent months we have been the subject of several inappropriate development applications within our small community, which will push the infrastructure to the brink, not to mention the flooding issues suffered by many residents.
As such, the recent overturn of the EDDC decision by the planning inspector has already meant that we face 50 Wainhomes on the site at Louvigny Close.
You will also be only too aware of the very recent issue surrounding EDDC and our very own district councillor Graham Brown, leading to his suspension from your very party and, ultimately, his resignation from the council shortly after.
It is with much shock and anger then that I write to tell you that, despite repeated calls for EDDC to suspend planning applications in Feniton until the independent investigation is carried out, I received today two emails from the council to say that the application for 32 homes at Acland Park (12/2626/MFUL), and 59 homes on land at at Ottery Road (12/2649/MOUT) will go ahead and be heard by the Development Management Committee on April 2nd.
Given the uncertainties surrounding Cllr Brown's apparent role in assisting planning applications in East Devon, may I call on you, your party and your council to request that the paperwork for developments in Feniton scheduled for discussion at DMC on April 2nd be withdrawn immediately. It is clearly inappropriate to discuss proposals which may have been the subject of undue influence. There is surely also cause for concern that such a meeting, that is of such importance to the residents of Feniton, should go ahead whilst there is no elected councillor to represent the ward.
I urge you to take swift action.
I look forward to your urgent response to this matter.
Kind regards,
Lucie
Updates on this issue are available via Twitter.
An East Devon District Council spokesman told The Exeter Daily:
“We do understand the sensitivity of matters at the current time. As it currently stands the applications will be on the agenda for 2 April, but we are keeping the matter under very careful and close review right up until the meeting itself, and will let people know if the position changes."
