Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum:
1. Introduction: Cause for Concern?
There is a growing lack of public trust in the planning process in East Devon. (1)
Many controversial planning applications have been approved in the face of massive
public opposition and frequently contrary to the adopted local plan and other
planning guidelines. Extensive industrial and residential developments are seen by
many residents and small businesses as damaging to the economy, environment
and quality of life in this unique part of England. This situation is likely to worsen over
the next 15 years if the draft Local Plan is adopted with its ‘excessive’ allocations of
employment land and housing.
Many informed residents of East Devon are concerned that planning policy in the
district has been unduly influenced by a small group of developers and landowners
who have played an important role in the preparation of the draft Local Plan, and in
the relaxation of planning rules to protect the countryside.
These developers and landowners are strongly represented in the East Devon
Business Forum which has served as a lobby for large-scale development.
Worryingly, this independent, private organisation has among its members some
councillors and a council officer who have had a significant influence on planning
policy as well as in approving controversial major planning applications which have
benefitted EDBF members.
2. The nature of the East Devon Business Forum (EDBF)
a) EDBF is a Forum defined in the EDDC Constitution as a body of “representatives
of outside interests” with whom the council can discuss “specific areas of
activity” Though it receives some funding from the Council, it is widely understood
not to be part of the council but “completely independent of it.” (2)
b) The EDBF overwhelmingly represents businesses with a strong interest in
planning and development, and landowners and developers have played a big
role in the Forum since 2007. Ex-councillor Roy Stuart (A E Stuart and Son)
is current vice-chairman , and his predecessors were Angela Wright (Crealy
Park, 2009-10) and Christine Seddon Smith (Devon Cliffs, 2010-2012) (3)
c) Unsurprisingly, the thrust of EDBF lobbying has been to persuade the council to
relax planning controls for big developers and to decrease the protection for
greenfield and AONB areas. After all, the Forum commented in 2011, only 1% of
East Devon was developed! (4) At 34 out of 40 meetings since 2007 planning
and development issues were raised, to the evident frustration of at least one
member- not himself a property developer- who wondered if other matters like
education and training could be discussed.(5)
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
d) Smaller businesses dependent on town centre commerce and quality tourism
fear that excessive expansion of business parks in greenfield sites could damage
their interests. These businesses however, clearly have significantly less
influence on EDDC policy than the property developers. Two former chairmen
of chambers of commerce have said they felt unwelcome at EDBF meetings. (6)
e) The Forum proudly admits its crucial influence on the council’s targets for
‘employment land’ in the draft Local Plan. (7) It is recognised as having been
successful in increasing the amount of employment land in the Draft Local Plan,
and in persuading the council to relax planning rules after 2007. (see part 3
below)
f) Throughout the formation of the Local Plan, members of EDBF were privileged
interlocutors with apparently more influence on the Council than independent
consultants like Atkins (2007) or Roger Tym (2011), both hired at public expense,
and whose conclusions were largely disregarded. The employment land
allocation in the local plan has been widely criticised as excessive. (8)
3. Councillors and the EDBF
i)
Councillor Graham Brown
a) Cllr Brown has been chairman of the EDBF since August 2006.
He runs a planning consultancy, Grey Green Planning Ltd, and a building
company, Brown Builders, according to his Register of Interests entry. He
represents the N.F.U at Forum Meetings .Many observers have been
astonished that the chairman of a lobby group was permitted, as a
councillor, over a long period, to deliberate on and help decide council
policy which favoured members of that lobby group.
b) Cllr Brown, in his dual role as EDBF chairman and councillor, was important in
changing the outcome of an independent report on employment land (industrial
land.) In 2007 a Forum sub-committee chaired by him challenged the findings
of the independent Atkins Report (which recommended the allocation of a
moderate amount of employment land) and said much more was needed.
c) The Council were then persuaded to set up a Task and Finish Forum, on
Employment Land which he led, where presentations were made by EDBF
members with large land-owning interests.
d) At the Corporate Overview Committee of November 22 2007 Cllr Brown led
the debate on employment land and got agreement that planning policy on
industrial land should be changed immediately because there was an
‘undersupply’ in East Devon, despite the Atkins Report evidence to the contrary.
e) The Corporate Overview Committee of October 23 2008 of which Cllr Brown
was a member confirmed the ‘urgent need’ for more ‘employment land’, and
recommended Greendale Barton, Hill Barton and Exeter Airport Business parks
for expansion (all are EDBF members). From 2008 planning applications from
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
f)
g)
h)
i)
EDBF members for large extensions to their industrial estates were
approved as a direct result of this change in policy in 2007/8.(see part 5)
Cllr Brown attended the Development management Committee meeting of
20/10/2009, when approval was granted for expansion of Greendale Business
Park.(091195/MOUT) Cllr Brown knows the owners well and they are frequent
attendees at EDBF meetings. At the same meeting approval was granted for the
construction of a crematorium at Strete Raleigh (09/1549/MFUL) where Cllr
Brown’s company, Grey Green Planning Ltd, had acted as advisors for the
applicants.
In 2009-10 Cllr Brown was chairman of the Local Development Panel whose
meetings were held in private, and whose minutes were not published until later.
What these minutes (often heavily redacted) show is that presentations were
made on behalf of leading members of the Forum, and their claims to be
included in the allocations in the Local Plan were supported by the chairman.(9)
In none of these council meetings did Cllr Brown declare an interest in
EDBF despite the clear provisions of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct
which required him to declare “personal interests in your membership of
any body …exercising functions of a public nature…whose principal
purposes include the influence of public opinion or policy. (see also ii) d)
below)
It could be argued that he had a prejudicial interest in some of these meetings,
for example of the decision of the Corporate Overview Committee of October
23 2008, which gave a considerable commercial advantage to a close
acquaintance of Cllr Brown’s, Roy Stuart. (10)
ii)
Cllr Paul Diviani
a) As a founder member of the EDBF, Cllr Diviani has been closely associated
with the Forum since 2004. To June 2012 he had attended 27 of its meetings
b) From its inception he strongly supported the Forum’s lobbying function,
arguing that it was its aim “to influence the council to take action and consider
various projects in advance of decisions being taken by its members”. (11)
And this influence, he argued, should be in favour of economic development
which was ”the key priority for the district.” (12) The EDBF lobbied
consistently for the expansion of large-scale development and less protection
for the countryside.
c) Cllr Diviani has been a consistent champion of council support for the
EDBF. For example in 2005 he promised EDDC was “committed to providing
support for the Business Forum in terms of administration, rooms,
refreshments etc. as it regarded the Forum as a core function.” (13) In 2011
he said he was willing to allow the Forum to use the Communications Officer
at EDDC to issue press releases. (14)
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
d) Former and current codes of conduct for councillors emphasise the need to
avoid potential conflicts of interest and the necessity of declaring such
interests. Cllr Diviani has repeatedly failed to declare a personal interest
in the EDBF in breach of articles 7.2, 7.6, 8.1 and 8.2 of the 2012 Code
(15) For example he was present and failed to declare an interest at:
i. Meeting of the Executive Board on 26/09/2007 which ordered a
review of the Atkins Report in conjunction with the EDBF
ii. Meeting of the Corporate Overview Committee 24/04/2008 which
endorsed a submissiom by the chairman of the EDBF that more
“employment land” was urgently needed in the District.
e) Most seriously, Cllr Diviani has failed to declare an interest in EDBF
while present at, or chairing a series of meetings of the Development
Management Committee which approved major and controversial
planning applications from fellow members of the EDBF with whom he
was obviously well acquainted. Such non-disclosure may well have
breached the then applicable Code on avoiding prejudicial interest.
These Meetings approved the following applications
i. AE Stuart (09/0282/MOUT) Extension to Hill Barton Business Park into
green fields of 18.75 acres Approved by Development Control
Committee 07/04/09, chair Tony Reed, Cllr Diviani present.
ii. May Gurney . (09/0410/MFUL) Expansion of Greendale Business Park
into agricultural land for offices parking etc. Approved by
Development Control Committee 07/04/09 chair Tony Reed, Cllr
Diviani present.
iii. FWS Carter (09/1195/MOUT)15.5 acre expansion of Greendale
Business Park. Approved by Development Management
Committee 20/10/09, chair Cllr Diviani,
iv. Clinton Devon Estates (09/2533/MOUT) 12.5 acre extension to
Liverton Business Park Approved by Development Management
Committee 06/04/2010 chair Cllr Diviani
v. AE Stuart and Sons (10/0641/MOUT) for Housing at Westclyst, Old
Park Farm up to 450 homes and 2000 sq m. of business use land
on 50 acres of grade 1 agricultural land. Approved by
Development Management Committee 7/12/2010, chair, Cllr
Diviani
vi. Axminster Carpets(10/0816/MOUT) Cloakham Lawns Axminster for
urban extension of 400 dwellings and 1000-12000 sq.ft of
managed employment floor space. Approved by Development
Management Committee 21/10/2010, chair, Cllr Diviani (This
application was discussed at the EDBF meeting of 10 June 2010)
vii.
Crealy Park (Chris Down) 10/2537/MFUL Conversion of
agricultural buildings to light industrial use, Enfield Farm Clyst St
Mary EX51DN Approved by Development Management
Committee 3/5/2011 Approved by Development Management
Committee 7/12/2010, chair, Cllr Diviani
f) In his public statements on the EDBF, as Leader of the Council ,Cllr
Diviani has been seriously misleading. For example in an interview on
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
Radio Devon (29/10/2012) his trivialisation of the role of the Economic
Development Officer as merely ‘clerical’ is completely untrue. (see part 5
below)
4. Council officers and the EDBF
a) Forum members enjoy exceptional access to officers to inform
themselves of council thinking and policy, and to influence it. No other
interest group could expect such treatment.Betweeen 2004 and June 2012
there were 130 officer attendances at EDBF meetings. Karime Hassan,
Corporate Director, attended 17 EDBF meetings between 2005-11. Kate
Little, Head of Planning, spoke to the EDBF six times in 2011-12
b) EDBF expects to be told in advance of important developments.The
Head of Finance at EDDC provided the Forum with his budget proposals for
their comments. In February 2010, members expressed concern that the
Chief Executive had not informed them in advance of his decision to job share
with South Somerset District Council. Mr Williams was invited to address them
to justify his move , which he did in August 2010.
In July 2011, an EDBF member with interests in property development asked
for the Forum to be updated on the proposed EDDC relocation from the
Knowle
c) The aspirations of developers and district planners increasingly
coincide. As EDDC Head of Planning, Kate Little said to EDBF on 15th
December 2009: “The planning system had been taken apart to serve the
needs of the customer” (EDDC regards the customer as the applicant) and
was moving from a more “landscape focus to a more economic one”.
Lobbying pressure from EDBF, combined with the changed policy of EDDC
planners since 2007, seems to have created a development juggernaut. (16)
5. The role of the Economic Development Manager, Nigel Harrison
a) Mr Harrison has played a vital role in the activities of the Forum as
Honorary Secretary. It is clear that his professional competence as
Economic Development Manager has been valuable in helping Forum
members to frame policy and to present the wishes of the Forum to the
Council (17)
b) He has acted as a spokesman for the Forum and was called on to defend it
against criticism at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 27
September 2012.
c) Why this role is inappropriate
An officer’s role is limited by the Constitution to serving and advising the
Council and serving the public. (Officers Code of Conduct 1.1) For an officer
to be deployed in the service of any outside private body, especially one
with an avowed lobbying purpose, would seem to be a serious breach of
this Code.
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
During his long tenure as Honorary Secretary, Mr Harrison has engaged in
activities which appear incompatible with his role as a public official, and
should have raised concern. For example:
i)
In 2008 Mr Harrison intervened in an important disciplinary matter
between the then Leader of the Council, Cllr Randall-Johnson and the
chairman of the EDBF Cllr Graham Brown, publicly expressing his
strong personal support for Cllr Brown. (18)
ii)
In 2010 Mr Harrison was tasked by the Business Forum to write to the
Head of Planning to facilitate a planning issue affecting a leading
member of the Forum whom he knew well. (19)
d) Most seriously, the role of Economic Development Manager is an
important one affecting major planning matters. He is called upon to
advise councillors on planning strategy, to occasionally attend Development
Management Committees, (20) and most importantly to act as consultee for
all planning applications of economic importance.
This role is impossible to reconcile with that of honorary secretary of a
private business group whose members’ planning applications are
considered by himself, as Economic Development Manager.
e) Since 2007, Mr Harrison has supported, –often enthusiastically- as consultee
at least fourteen planning applications by members of the Business
Forum. Most of these were very controversial and contrary to the
adopted Local Plan. All were approved. (21) It is clear that his comments
carry considerable weight with Development Management Committees.
This procedure risks breaching The Planning Code of good practice Article
1.1. which is intended to “ensure that in the planning process there are no
grounds for suggesting that a decision has been biased, partial or not well
founded in any way”.
f) The apparent conflict of interest here is so serious that it should never
have been tolerated . It was very likely that there would be a public
perception of partiality on the part of Mr Harrison when - especially in
controversial planning applications- impartiality is a key principle in the
officer’s code of conduct. For example article 39 of The Protocol covering
relations between councillors and officers refers to officers’ “contractual and
legal duty to be impartial.”
6. The role of the Chief Executive.
a) Under the EDDC constitution the Chief Executive has a duty to manage
officers and ensure that they do not breach their code of conduct.(22) It is
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
remarkable that Mr Williams took no action over Mr Harrison’s conflict of
interest.
b) He cannot have been unaware of public expressions of concern over the
relationship between EDDC and the EDBF. As early as 21 May 2010 a
letter from the Farringdon Residents Association concerning the
controversial Waldron’s Farm planning approval mentioned unease over
the influence of the Forum. The EDBF, as a potential minefield of conflicts
of interest, has been raised several times in council meetings.(23) Recent
local, regional and national media coverage of planning procedures at
EDDC, have often centred on the perceived undue influence of the EDBF.
(24)
c) Even local MP Hugo Swire has raised the matter with the Chief Executive.
Mr Williams’ reply was dismissive and complacent: there was nothing to
worry about and residents’ concerns, he suggested, were merely from a
politically-motivated minority. (25)
This total failure to address this situation risks bringing the council into
disrepute, as indeed will any attempt to ‘water down’ the terms of
reference of the TaFF, set up last month by the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee, to investigate relations between the Council and the EDBF.
References
1) For example: “We think EDDC is more interested in engaging with big business
rather than engaging with the local community in trying to achieve the aims and
ideals of the coalition government's Big Society.” Friends of Elizabeth Hall quoted in
Exmouth People online 11/10/2012
2) For example the chairman of the EDBF quoted in the Sidmouth Herald of 5
October 2012: “We are a totally independent organisation who go to the council for
some degree of funding.”
And at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 27 September 2012 the
chairman, Cllr S Hughes, stated: “that a Task and Finish Forum could only make
recommendations to the EDBF, as it was a separate entity from the Council.”
3) Number of attendances at EDBF Meetings 2007- June 2012 (Number of
meetings: 40)
1.Carter Businesses (FWS Carter, Greendale Business Park,
Greendale Industries) 36 *
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
2. Crealy Park (Chris Down, owns Crealy Farms as well) 32
3. Worldwide Trading (Cllr Philip Skinner) 30
4. AE Stuart and Sons (Roy Stuart) 25
5. Honiton Development Trust (Cllr Bob Buxton) 21
6. Blackdown Hills Business Association 19
7. Fords of Sidmouth 17
8. May Gurney 15
9. Halse of Honiton 15
10. Allwood Buildings 14
11. Bicton College 14**
12. Tru Homes 14
13. East Devon Federation of Small Businesses 14
14. Devon Contractors 13
15.Martha Mockford 13
16. Thomas Westcott 12
17. Devon Cliffs (Bourne Leisure) 11
18. Ladram Bay 10
19. Stags 10
20. Waitrose 10
*often more than one representative attended.
** Bicton college is currently lobbying to build 225 houses at
Woodbury Salterton where it owns land.
Members with an interest in planning and development shown in red.
4) EDBF minutes 13/10/2011
5) William Casely, Otter Nurseries EDBF Minutes 10/4/2008
6) For example, on 28 July 2012 Fred Wells wrote on Cllr Wright’s blog:
“I have been unhappy with East Devon Business Forum for a long time and in
particular their relationship with EDDC. It is interesting to note that when I was
Chairman of Axminster Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I was invited to the
Forum but as soon as I started making waves about the Cloakham Lawn
development, I was no longer asked to attend!”
7) “Members noted that the work the Business Forum had done on the Atkins Report
had made an enormous difference to the final report prepared by the Employment
Land Issues Task and Finish Forum. …..This had been accepted by the Executive
Board. The report was now being used by the Development Control Committee as a
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
base when considering planning applications for employment land” EDBF minutes
31/1/ 2008
8) “the only piece of evidence relied on by EDDC to justify the employment land
figures) is …a report from EDBF. It therefore seems likely that the views of
landowners and developers on EDBF led directly to these proposals”. Cllr Claire
Wright’s Response to Draft Local Plan Consultation, January 2012
Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce concluded that the EDBF “grossly
underestimated” the amount of land already available, for example it missed many
vacant commercial premises. Response to Draft Local plan Consultation, January
2012
and
“Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce said it had identified ‘serious flaws’ in EDDC’s
calculations, something the council has denied. It said had the ‘correct’ numbers
been used, the employment land allocation across the district would have been
about 20 hectares less, and Sidmouth would have only had one hectare rather than
five. The chamber wants EDDC to revisit employment land in the Local Plan, adding:
“We conclude that the process by which employment land allocation in Sidmouth has
emerged is very seriously unsound, a shambles in fact.” Sidmouth Herald 20/6/2012
In Dorset County Council's consultation response, (to the EDDC draft local plan)
senior planning officer Gill Smith said the 180 hectares of employment land
proposed "considerably exceeded" both county and region-wide requirements of 100
hectares….She also criticised plans for 650 homes and eight hectares of
employment land at Axminster, saying neither proposal had been clearly explained,
and impacts on schools, traffic and roads had not been considered. Western
Morning News 23/8/2012
9) At LDF meeting on 25/5/2009 Bell Cornwell made presentation for an expansion
of the Liverton Business Park owned by Devon Clinton Estates.Warmly encouraged
by the Panel
10) Cllr Brown and Mr Stuart were fellow district councillors in the 1980s until, in
1990, Cllr Brown resigned in sympathy with Mr Stuart who was obliged to resign
from the EDDC planning committee after an ombudsman’s enquiry criticised him
severely for planning irregularities.
11) EDBF minutes, 21/4/2005
12) EDBF minutes, 20/4/2006
13) EDBF minutes, 21/4/2005
14) EDB F minutes, 21/7/2011
15) Extracts from 2012 Code of Conduct for Councillors
Personal interests
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
7.2 Those other personal interests laid down by the Council, namely your
membership of any body to which you have been appointed by the Council or
exercising functions of a public nature, directed to charitable purposes or whose
principal purposes include influence of public opinion or policy, including your
membership of any other local Authority, any political party or trade union
received by virtue of your office
7.6 In addition to those interests listed at 7.1 to 7.5 above which you are required
to register, you may wish also to declare membership of any body which, in your
view, might create a conflict of interest in carrying out your duties as a Councillor,
such as membership of the Freemasons or any similar body.
Declaration of Interests and participation at meetings
8.1 and you must also observe the restrictions the Council may also place on your
involvement in matters where you have a personal interest as defined by the Council
and shown at paras 7.2 to 7.7 above.
8.2 You also have a personal interest in any business of your authority where a
reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would regard the interest as
greater than would affect the majority of residents or inhabitants in the affected area
such that it is likely to prejudice your judgment of the public interest
16) see also:
Planning Policy manager, Matt Dickins told the Forum on 29th April 2011: “EDDC has a
new approach and attitude to encouraging development within the district …..if planning
policy is a barrier to development, then consideration should be given to changing this
policy” EDBF Minutes 29/04/11
Corporate Director, Karime Hassan on 3rd February 2011 reported to EDBF before leaving
for Exeter and expressed his relief that it was becoming easier to engage with groups like
EDBF “supportive of development” rather than just with residents’ groups who opposed it.
He recognised the “greater weight given to business since the establishment of the Business
Forum” especially over such issues as the lack of business land.”EDBF Minutes 3/2/2011
17) Examples of Mr Harrison’s important role (from EDBF Minutes):On 25 January 2007 he
was appointed member of an EDBF sub-committee which over several months researched
the availability of employment land in the District and had the results referred to in reference
3 (above).
On 29 April 2010 he led a Forum discussion on the Environment and Rural Development
during which it was suggested that it might be necessary to reconsider the strict protection of
the AONB.
On 4 January 2012 he was tasked, with the chairman, to draw up the EDBF response to the
Draft Local Plan which included an appeal for more employment land in addition to the 180
hectares allocated in the Plan.
18) EDBF Minutes of 8 May 2008 record that the then Leader of the Council wished to
remove Cllr Brown from his position as Member Champion for Business because of
“accusations of impropriety involving planning applications within East Devon”. Mr Harrison
defended Cllr Brown, saying “he had brought energy and enthusiasm to that task and he had
enjoyed working with him”. Such personal support for a councillor against his Leader
possibly contravenes article 45 of the Protocol covering relations between councillors and
officers which warns of the risks of “personal familiarity” and article 4.1 of the Officers Code
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
of Conduct which states: “You must avoid having close personal friendships with individual
Councillors”
19) On 4 February 2010 (EDBF minutes) Nigel Harrison was tasked to write to Kate Little,
Head of Planning, on behalf of Angela Wright of Crealy Park to help remove a number of
obstacles to her project to build staff housing.
To allow an outside body to instruct an officer would seem to breach article 30 of the
Protocol covering relations between councillors and officers that states that officers can only
be instructed through the “formal decision-making process” of the council. For an officer to
be seen to be attempting to influence a colleague in a planning matter on behalf of
someone he knows well and who has significant business interests must raise
serious ethical issues.
20) For example:
Mr Harrison attended the Development Management Committee on 5 May 2009 when the
owner of Crealy Park (a member of EDBF) was given a three year extension in the time limit
for noise mitigation work and on 30 June 2009 when the owner of Ladram Bay caravan site
(a member of EDBF ) was given approval for changes to a touring and tenting field.
21) Successful Planning Applications by EDBF members supported by Mr Harrison include:
Crealy Park (Chris Down) (07/3108/COU) Conversion of agricultural buildings to light
industrial use, Enfield Farm Clyst St Mary EX51DN re-submission of an earlier application
that was contrary to adopted local plan.
Crealy Park (Chris Down) (07/3218/MFUL) Application for 30 holiday lodges, lake etc. on
a greenfield site. Contrary to adopted Local Plan.
Stoneleigh Holiday Village (M2 Services Ltd) (08/2558/MFUL) 17 new residential units,
upgrading of bar and pool. in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and contrary to
adopted Local Plan.
FWS Carter. (08/2936/FUL) Jetset Concrete. Retention of concrete batching plant at
Greendale Business Park. Contrary to adopted Local Plan and retrospective application to
avoid enforcement action.
AE Stuart (09/0282/MOUT) Extension to Hill Barton Business Park into green fields of 18.75
acres Contrary to adopted Local Plan
May Gurney (09/0410/MFUL) Expansion of Greendale Business park into agricultural land
for offices parking etc. Contrary to adopted Local Plan and to regularise unauthorised
expansion.
FWS Carter (09/1195/MOUT)15.5 acre expansion of Greendale Business Park: Contrary to
adopted Local Plan and countryside protection policies.
Clinton Devon Estates (09/2533/MOUT) 12.5 acre extension to Liverton Business Park
Contrary to adopted Local Plan in an Area of Great Landscape Value.
Crealy Park (Chris Down) (10/0070) Approval for waterslide and associated works
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Paper on Planning in East Devon and the East Devon Business Forum , Tony Green, 20 October 2012
AE Stuart and Sons (10/0641/MOUT) for Housing at Westclyst, Old Park Farm up to 450
homes and 2000 sq m. of business use land on 50 acres of grade 1 agricultural land.–
contrary to adopted Local Plan
Ladram Bay (FWS Carter and Zoe House) (10/2287/MFUL) expansion of caravan park to
new field. or 38/00027 in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Crealy Park (Chris Down) 10/2537/MFUL Conversion of agricultural buildings to light
industrial use, Enfield Farm Clyst St Mary EX51DN Contrary to policies TR2 and TR5 of the
Devon County Structure Plan.
Axminster Carpets (10/0816/MOUT) Cloakham Lawns 400 dwellings and 10-12000 sq ft of
employment land. In an area of Great Landscape Value and contrary to the adopted Local
Plan
Devon Cliffs (Bourne Leisure) (10/1210/MFUL) Expansion of Caravan Park contrary to
adopted Local Plan.
22) The Constitution of the EDDC states that the Chief Executive (and Head of Paid Service)
has overall corporate management and operational responsibility (including overall
management responsibility) for all officers.
23) See minutes of Executive Board 30 March 2011, Full Council 25 July 2012, and
Overview and Scrutiny Committee 27 September 2012.
24) For Example: Private Eye, Nooks and Corners, p.14, 7 September 2012
25) “I am aware that the relationship of the Council with the EDBF has become a
source of concern to some. That being said, many might comment that the issue is
perhaps being articulated more as a result of local party differences of opinion rather
than anything of notable substance.” Letter of Mark Williams to Hugo Swire, 19
September, 2012.
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