--> /* end of banner manager 1 */

Stand Up For Seaton (SU4S)

Community Action for Seaton's Regeneration Area, 80% owned by Tesco - a floodplain on a World Heritage site bordered by nature reserves, tidal river, the sea and the unspoilt town. SU4S is a state of mind - no members, no structure, no politics. SU4S has objected to 2 planning applications by Tesco, including one for a massive superstore/dot com distribution centre which led to the recent closure on the site of 400 tourist beds with the loss of 150 jobs,a gym and pool - all used by locals.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

You have only until 18 February 2009 to put in your objection or support of Tesco planning applications

People in Seaton have only until

18 February 2009

to put in their letters of support or objection to the Tesco plans for a store and for the rest of the site.


Plans are at the town council offices and can be viewed Monday - Friday 9 am to 3 pm. When Liatris put their plans in for the site we were allowed 16 weeks to support or object to the planning application. On this we are being allowed only 4 weeks - there is no explanation why the consultation period is shorter. Send your letters to: Planning Department, EDDC, The Knowle, Sidmouth, EX10 8HL
Mark them with the reference:
09/0019/MFUL for the store plans 09/0022/MOUT for the rest of the site

Labels:

14 Comments:

At 10:42 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It gets even better (thats meant to be ironic). Suppose you know that something Tesco is claiming is wrong, and you could prove it by getting data out of EDDC (or DCC for that matter). They have 28 days to give you that info under the freedom of information act, and from experience they will wait until the very last day to post it day even through it may have been immediately available. Thus you get the information later than the deadline for objections. Wonderful is it not

 
At 2:24 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lets be honest about it, the threat of a supermarket being built on this land has been around for years. I am sure most local people have made their voices heard already. How long can it take to simply approve, or dissaprove the plans? I've looked at all the documents Tesco have submitted to EDDC, and can make my mind up in minutes, as most Seatonians will. The town councillors should be out in force around our town speaking to the people & asking their opinions. It's what we've elected them to do.

It might also be helpful if the Town hall was open longer hours, and more days of the week, so that more people get chance to see the plans. Not everybody embraces the internet like we do!

 
At 4:05 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If only it were the town council that made the decision. But it isn't - it's East Devon District Council and not one District Council member from Seaton is on the Development Control Committee.

People sometimes forget that councillors from outside Seaton have no idea at all what goes on here. I don't have an idea what feelings are in Ottery St Mary about Tesco and Sainsbury competing to be in their town, I don't know whether one site is better than another. etc.

And if there is a public inquiry we have seen that in Honiton the comments made by local people helped the inspector to come to a decision.

So we have two choices - tell EDDC what we want and why or shut up and let people from outside Seaton decide about our lives for the next 30 or 40 years.

 
At 4:12 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It isn't Seaton Town Council that decides what we get it is EDDC and its Development Control Committee. There is no councillor from Seaton on that committee.

I have no idea what the situation is in Ottery St Mary where Tesco and Sainsbury are also fighting. Do the people of Ottery prefer one to the other? Is one site better than the other?

So how do we ensure that the EDDC councillors know what we think if we dont tell them?

And the views of people in Honiton were taken into account when the inspector ruled there.

 
At 7:12 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Surely it should be the town councillors who liase with EDDC?

 
At 10:28 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I spoke to a town councillor who was "out and about asking opinions"
I lie, he was at the town councillors open day before xmas at the town hall. It seems that eddc don't consider it sufficient to believe that town councillors are representative (funny that, thought we had an election with an elevated turnout and have a cross section of opinion represented - from politicals to independents). So we have to write our letters, unlike suermarkets, who just brag about how big/important they are, hmm, people don't matter, money does??

 
At 7:10 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if the town hall will be open longer hours to allow us taxpayers who work all day to see the plans? Maybe SUFS could propose this to the town council?

 
At 6:54 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why not ask our young town clerk to extend opening hours?

 
At 2:28 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Opening hours have been extended to 9 am to 3 pm Monday to Friday until 18 February and councillors will also be available on the consultation day in the town hall on Saturday 24 January 11-4.

 
At 11:07 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Notice Tesco now wants to extend their Axminster store! what next ?

 
At 12:21 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tesco is desperately trying to find space for a "distribution depot" for its dot com business. Stores in this area are unsuitable (Honiton was first choice but it got turned down by the Planning Inspector). Seaton is next choice because Tesco owns ALL the land. Look at the plans they are labelled "dot com" business in the service yard and shows space for 12 big vehicles. My guess is that this is a fallback position in case Seatond doesn't work out. The best way to expand for a dot com business is to say that customers want "more choice" - but not saying where these "customers" come from and how they will be dealt with.

 
At 8:40 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

democracy works like this. "I'm on the Development Control Committee, I don't wan't a bigger Tesco store in my town so Seaton can have it."

 
At 7:19 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I see that EDDC are publishing the letters of support or objection to Tesco's planning application on the planning website.
If they are putting ALL letters received on the site, then it would appear that NOT MANY people are sending in their comments because not many are displayed.
It is interesting to read the various points that are being raised by residents on the site and it is to be hoped that there are many more people that are still to send in their letters, although it is getting very near the last date.
I hope Everyone has an opinion about these proposals and will take the trouble to write to the council, either by letter or through the website email facility.

Comments by Seatonbob

 
At 10:41 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

surely there is a law somewhere stating the minimum time allowed? and as anonymous 10:42am said, FOIs take nearly as long as the consultation period, so the law should be more. should somebody look this up?

 

Post a Comment

<< Home