“Most of East Devon’s future housing growth will have to be built on sites outside of existing town centres.”
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The East Devon Local Plan has to propose the amount of new housing for the District – and it has recently been out to consultation:
East Devon Local Plan consultation: homes – Vision Group for Sidmouth
East Devon Local Plan consultation: VGS submission – Vision Group for Sidmouth
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The District Council’s strategic planning committee has just met up to consider this number, among other issues:
Agenda for Strategic Planning Committee on Tuesday, 30th March, 2021, 2.00 pm – East Devon
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The press has reported on proceedings:
Most of East Devon’s future housing growth will have to be built on sites outside of existing town centres, councillors have been told. With the council currently producing a new Local Plan, an Urban Capacity Study was commissioned to assess the potential for development within existing town centres.
Tuesday’s East Devon District Council Strategic Planning Committee though heard that in the eight main towns in the district, a maximum of 766 homes could theoretically be built, less than the 928 currently required by Government to be built each year. The meeting heard therefore that most of the housing would have to come from sites outside of town centres, although increases in home working and thus the repurposing of office space for residential is something that may come forward further down the line. And the committee said that in future, developments will probably have to be of a higher density than they currently are, and with the solution in some cases to build up rather than out, and that further work needs to be explored as to how redevelopment of some town centres areas can be achieved.
East Devon’s housing growth will need to be on greenfield sites – Devon Live
East Devon house growth will be outside main towns – Radio Exe
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Here are the suggested numbers for Sidmouth town:
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SIDMOUTH (40 homes)
Grass area west of Fairmead road – 5 homes
Land at Alexandria Trading Estate – 10 homes
Land north of Peasland road – 15 homes
Sidmouth Health Centre – 10 homes
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Interestingly, as pointed out by a correspondent, this does not include the current larger-scale provision:
113 at the Knowle:
Controversial works at The Knowle put on hold – Devon Live
Sidford retirement homes:
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It is not as yet clear what the ‘quota’ for the Sid Valley will be.