The Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan has been passed by the Examiner:
Neighbourhood Plans being produced in East Devon – Sidmouth
One of the plan’s Community Actions has been to “support, foster and develop our entrepreneurial culture” – which means to:
• Support the creation of facilities such as work hubs/shared spaces and premises for
STEAM businesses/start-ups – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics
and spaces for existing Sid Valley industries/light industry/essential services.
• Encourage a buy local ethos within East Devon.
• Encourage businesses into the area including technology and internet
based industries
Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan – Shaping our Future Together
A problem faced by many towns and villages in Devon has been that of second homes – but as Devon Live points out, it needn’t be a disaster – if an ‘entrepreneurial culture’ is encouraged:
What it’s really like living in a Devon village with nearly 80 per cent second home ownership
On a wet Wednesday in June – before the start of the main school holiday season – it’s hard to find a ‘local’ in Hope Cove. And that’s not surprising because nearly 80 per cent of houses in the tucked away seaside village are second homes.
Critics say second homes push local people out of the housing market, force them to move elsewhere, and that can be bad for local businesses as the owners are not there to use shops and services all year round.
So we went to ask local people what it’s really like to live in the village tucked away half way between Salcombe and Bigbury on the South West coastal path.
You might imagine that a seaside village with an average age of 60 and only about 250 residents, on a rainy Wednesday, might be sleepy and forgotten. But instead Hope Cove turns out to be bustling with life. It has a Post Office, shop, beaches, pub, cafes, church, hotels and commercial fishermen and local businesses are in the middle of major expansions.
It turns out that thanks to great Wifi (but terrible phone signal) the old image of cut-off Devon villages at the end of the road is beginning to change.
Hope Cove was rated one of the ‘best places to live by the sea in Britain’ in a recent Sunday Times poll which said: “Near Salcombe in the South Hams, this low-key village is where the BBC drama The Coroner was filmed in 2015. With two sheltered sandy beaches, it is popular with families seeking better value than Salcombe, but just like its fashionable neighbour its charm beguiles generation after generation.” …
Another reason for Hope Cove’s fresh and lively atmosphere is The Cove – which in the last five years has been transformed into an award-winning craft beer bar, cafe and live music venue. The Cove is run by husband and wife team Shelley Robinson-Major and Toby Robinson. They took it over five years ago when they decided on a huge lifestyle change when they were having their first child. When The Cove hosted its first gigs the downstairs room was so small they had to carry the sofas outside to make room for the bands. Now they have more than 30 staff employed all year round, travelling in from all the local towns and villages. And The Cove is set to expand with permission for a new rear beer garden with views out over the skyline.
Shelley said: “The Parish Council has always supported us from the word go – they are forward thinking but also very protective of what makes Hope Cove special.” …
Joanna Seeley has been holidaying in Hope Cove for 45 years – but moved here three years ago after a bereavement to take on a family house with stunning views across the Breakwater. She says there is a new generation of younger people moving to the village with a portfolio work style – thanks to really good Wifi which enables many people to work mostly from home…