TOWN COUNCIL ANNOUNCES DATE OF PLANNING MEETING

The meeting of the Seaton town Council planning committee to hear both the Tesco applications will be on:

Monday 9 February 2009 at 7 pm in the town hall.

In response to requests from SU4S and others the office will extend its opening hours so that more people can see the plans - it will be open Monday to Friday 9 am to 3 pm until 18 February 2009 for people to consult plans.

The town council is also holding a "consultation day" on

Saturday 24 January 2009 11 am - 4 pm Town Hall

where people can give their views before the 9 February meeting.

Please, please go and look at the plans, send in your letters to EDDC and tell town councillors what you think - this is something that will affect Seaton for the next 50 years or even longer.

SU4S comments on Tesco planning applications to appear soon

The SU4S comments on the Tesco planning applications will appear here soon, as soon as we have all had chance to wade through the 2 ft high pile of documents.

To assist us, Seaton Town Council should be opening their offices more often than 9-12 Tuesday - Thursday. This is too important to restrict access to those people who can get in during weekday mornings. We shall be tackling them about this tomorrow - when their office opens.

The plans are mostly available online but they are missing vital documents - a reason why the consultation time clock should not be ticking. To access them go to:

www.eastdevon.gov.uk
Click on the Planning tab
Click on the link marked "Planning Applications Online" and agree to the terms and conditions
Click on "Planning" on the left hand side
Click on "Application Search"


In the "Application Case Reference" Box, type

09/0019/MFUL
for the supermarket application OR
09/0022/MOUT
for the rest of the site
Click on "Search" (don't use the Enter key - this just brings up a calendar - scroll further down the screen for "Search"
Then go to "Click to View"
Then go to "Associated Documents"
then go to "View Associated Documents"

This pulls up a list of documents which will either need Adobe Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Word.

Note that the most important document - the Environmental Impact Assessment - is NOT there - it is only available on CD-ROM which you will have to apply for to EDDC or which you will have to make arrangements to view with the town council - assuming they have the facility for it.

Low cost UK holiday are what Britons want in 2009

Click the link above to see the full story.

60% of people planning a holiday of £500 or less, campsites, seaside hotels, B and Bs and coach and caravan companies all expected to benefit. Twice as many holidaymakers plan to prioritise cost over convenience. The most popular destinations will be the traditional seaside resorts.

Shame - we could have taken 400 of them each night here in Seaton had the holiday camp stayed open, now we can take a tiny handful. Still, Sidmouth will reap the benefits so we must be grateful for that mustn't we!

Tesco planning applications - good news, bad news

Good news - the planning applications have been validated.

Bad news - there are no supporting documents available to read online, the documents have not arrived at the Seaton Town Council offices as of today and the deadline for consultation is shown on the website as 3 February 2009 - 3 weeks only!!! Not even the one month for common or garden planning applications!!!

Liatris got 13 weeks - Tesco gets 3 weeks. Something wrong here surely? And surely we don't get two petrol filling stations!

Details taken from EDDC Planning Portal:

09/0019/MFUL Erection of retail store (5,996 sq m gross) with petrol filling station, other retail units (633 sq m gross) with assorted car parking, pedestrian and vehicular and vehicular access and landscaping

09/0022/MOUT Re-develpoment of land to include housing, tourism, new public realm, petrol filling station, hotel, retail development with public open space and access

Tesco planning application - here, there?

According to EDDC, the Tesco planning application has been validated and should be available to view at Seaton Town Council offices now. According to Seaton Town Council they have received nothing to date (Tuesday 13 January 2009 14.45).

When does the consultation period start from in these cases? When the district council validates or when the town council receives the plans? And how long will the consultation period be.

Perhaps we can look to EDDC for a press release?

Tesco plans for the regeneration area - which are the right ones?

anyone else notice that the plans on page 1 of todays View from Seaton for the regeneration area are totally different to the plans that Tesco put up for exhibition which are shown on page 3 of the same newspaper.

On the front page one, the Seaton Visitor Centre is shown squashed in between the store and what looks like housing or other shops fronting the Underfleet so you can't actually see the Visitor Centre at all well from the road - just glimpses here and there. On the one that was at the Tesco exhibition the Visitor Centre fronted directly on to the Underfleet so that tourists could see it.

AND all the houses and shops on Harbour Road (fish shop, Indian restaurant, Kings Court, etc) seem o have totally disappeared to be replaced by parking! I wonder what the people who live there think!

anyone from Tesco able to explain the difference between the two plans please?

Honiton - important gateway town to the south west

Sidmouth Herald, 9 January 2009, regarding the closure of the M&S Food Shop in Honiton:

Councillor Randall Johnson, leader of EDDC, said, "Honiton is an important gateway town to the south west and EDDC will do all it can to help the local economy".

That would be the local Honiton economy then? Nothing to do with same Councillor Randall Johnson who is hoping to stand as a Honiton candidate should there be a unitary authority for Devon? Important gateway town to the south west - would that have anything to do with it being near Exeter Airport perhaps - certainly not major roads.

Seaton is an important gateway town to the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, Councillor Randall Johnson - when did we see you doing all you could to help OUR local economy. Not one of you made a comment about the 170 job losses in Seaton last week - except an EDDC council press release saying if it was making it difficult to pay your council tax to EDDC you should let them know.

Thanks a bunch- it's aways useful to know who your friends are. Trouble is, outside Seaton, we don't seem to have any.

EDDC Regeneration Portfolio holder welcomes Tesco decision

Councillor Peter Halse has the Regeneration Portfolio for EDDC. He is reported by the Midweek Herald as saying:

EAST Devon District Council has responded to news that Tesco's appeal for a new store in Honiton has been dismissed.

Councillor Peter Halse said: "The inspector's welcome decision completely vindicates the council's refusal to permit the building of a large Tesco store in Ottery Moor Lane.

"Both officers at the council, as well as the people of Honiton, who eloquently put their case, both in writing and at the public inquiry, have fought hard to prevent what they regard as an inappropriate development of the site, which would be harmful to the economic well-being of the town centre.

"I am pleased that their well-argued case was noted with such positive effect by the inspector.

"Honiton welcomes the involvement of Tesco in the town, which is an excellent store. We will continue to support them, but in the right location.

Good to see that we can rely on EDDC and Councillor Halse for sensible decisions. Bigger store and "inappropriate development, harmful to the economic well-being of the town centre". Hhmmmm.

STOP PRESS - TESCO LOSES HONITON APPEAL

Breaking news here.

Full information on exactly why it was refused can be found here.

By the way, Iceland has bought the Honiton Woolworth's store, but has not bought the Seaton store. Pleased or disappointed?

Planning for the future with EDDC?

According to the Midweek Herald website, EDDC is going to hold a series of exhibitions across the district in January to give residents and businesses a chance to comment on important planning issues. Here is where the exhibitions will be:

Honiton
Ottery St Mary
Sidmouth
Clyst St Mary
Budleigh Salterton
Broadclyst
Axminster
Exmouth

The Midweek Herald doesn't mention Sidmouth or Seaton, but in fact, according to the Sidmouth Herald, the exhibition will be in Sidmouth on 19 January 2009 at the Library.

Unfortunately, it seems no-one took the responsibility to publicise the event in Seaton which will take place on Friday 30th January 2009 10.15 am - 6.45 pm in the Town Hall.

Let's hope this gets the publicity it deserves.

Neil Parrish, MEP joins fight to save Honiton M and S Food

Read the story here.

33 jobs lost in Honiton - EDDC and our local MEP (selected as the next Conservative candidate for the area which will include Honiton and Seaton) spring into action.

170 jobs lost in Seaton last week - hello, hello ........ anyone there?

EDDC tries to stop M and S Food closure in Honiton

Full story here.

Now, surely this wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that EDDC Leader Ms Randall Johnson and Chairman Mr Diviani have recently been selected for Honiton seats would it? No, of course not.

What a pity they couldn't do this for the holiday camp and Woolworths in Seaton.

And how lucky they are to have the Honiton Business Centre to meet in. Seaton Town Hall just wouldn't have been the same!

The Tesco press release regarding their planning application

So, nothing in the first planning application except the store, filling station and kiosks - no visitor centre, no community and leisure facilities which are all left until "later".

5 January 2009
Tesco submits plans for Seaton*

Tesco has put forward its regeneration plans for Seaton after more than a year of extensive consultation and investigative research.

The company has submitted two planning applications. The first is an eco-superstore with a fuel station, car park, retail kiosks and public open space. The second is an outline application for the rest of the regeneration site including housing, a visitors centre and hotel and leisure facilities.

Tesco and its team of engineers and architects have spent months researching the opportunities for the site in consultation with East Devon District Council, Seaton Regeneration Board and the town council. The most time consuming aspect was finding a solution to the flooding risk on the site. The Environment Agency wants the site raised in order to prevent flooding, and this could have meant thousands of lorry loads of fill material.

But Tesco’s engineers have come of with two innovative ways of dramatically reducing the impact. One is to use a form of environmentally friendly expanded polystyrene for part of the store site, and the other is to bring in sea-dredged fill material through a mile-long pipeline – this could fill the rest of the site in only a few weeks.

Melanie Chiswell, Corporate Affairs Manager for Tesco, said the planning applications are a real opportunity for Seaton to put itself on the map as the gateway to the Jurassic Coast. “We have spent a lot of time and money making sure that we can deliver the best possible regeneration plans for the town, within the boundaries of what is physically and commercially viable. This is one of the most challenging schemes we’ve worked on in the South West and we are really looking forward to having the opportunity to turn the plans on paper into a reality.

“We would start by building an eco store – one of the first of our new breed of environmental stores which dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. It would be around twice the size of our Axminster store. Most of Seaton’s population and people living in surrounding villages do their food shopping in nearby towns where the choice and range is better. A new supermarket in Seaton would mean people will not have to travel so far. It will also encourage people to use town centre shops and businesses whilst they park in our car park for free.

“We believe other developers will come on board when they see us start the regeneration process, so new housing and tourist accommodation could follow very soon. Our architects have put the finishing touches to the design for the visitors centre and we’re very keen to work in partnership with East Devon District Council to help bring forward this important tourist facility which will attract thousands more visitors to Seaton.

“In fact, we are proud to be able to invest in regeneration projects and create hundreds of new jobs during a recession when very little other investment is taking place. This is an opportunity for Tesco to use its success and resources to bring forward some really positive regeneration opportunities for Seaton and its residents, and we are the only retailer able to deliver this.”

Tesco held a consultation event in the town in October which was attended by more than 1,000 people, with the majority of those who completed feedback forms saying they were in favour of the proposals.

Ends

*NOTES TO EDITORS*

Release issued by pr dogs limited, public relations consultants, on behalf of Tesco Stores Ltd
For further information contact John Taynton of pr dogs on 01822 600100 or 0773 999 7353 (mobile) or email john.taynton@prdogs.com.

STOP PRESS - TESCO PLANNING APPLICATION HANDED IN TODAY

The Tesco planning application has been handed in to EDDC today. Just a coincidence that it is on the day that Lyme Bay Holiday Village closes with the loss of 150 jobs of course.

More soon

So, where is Hugo Swire when you need him?

Does anyone remember our MP - Hugo Swire? I vaguely recall seeing him in Seaton just before he was elected to Parliament but he seems to have disappeared since then.

He apparently used to do surgeries at Seaton Town Hall but they stopped months and months - maybe even years - ago. Could this have anything to do with the new boundaries for MPs - when at the next general election Hugo will not need the votes of people in Axminster, Honiton and Seaton as we will all be transferred to the Honiton and Tiverton seat (current MP - Angela Browning, who retires at the next election, person nominated to fight the seat in her place Neil Parish, currently an MEP in Strasbourg). Where does that leave a voice for Seaton in Parliament I wonder? And what exactly is a "constituency MP"? I thought it meant that they dealt with constituents .....

You would think that he would have something to say when nearly 200 jobs have gone in one week in Seaton but there has been a notable silence. Anyone would think he didn't care about the town. Surely not?

I looked at his website to see when his next surgeries would be - there having been quite a few in Exmouth and Sidmouth last year. Interestingly, it says that to see him you have to make an appointment to go to his office in Woodbury Salterton and no surgeries are scheduled for 2009. He has no email address, nor does the Woodbury Salterton office - just a telephone number (01395 233505 if you are interested).

Anyone know how you get by bus from Seaton to Woodbury Salterton and back again in a day? Or what you do if you are disabled and can just about make it into Seaton town but not to Woodbury Salterton?

RIP Lyme Bay Holiday Village

RIP LYME BAY HOLIDAY VILLAGE
RIP 400-500 TOURISTS IN SEATON EVERY NIGHT
RIP SEATON'S ONLY GYM
RIP SEATON'S ONLY POOL
RIP 150 JOBS

HELLO DEAD TOWN
HELLO NO TOURISTS
HELLO UNHEALTHY PEOPLE
HELLO NOTHING TO DO AND NOWHERE TO GO IN SEATON
HELLO MORE UNEMPLOYMENT

So, where is the White Knight we were promised who would lead us all out of this?

Village offers euro for the pound

Click title for full article, best clip from it is:

"I think there is a great market in Europe. England is a lot cheaper now, there's a new horizon where they can explore England at a lower cost. It's a wonderful opportunity for UK tourism."

Where is this place? Dunster, North Somerset...not a million miles from here.