Yet another set of proposals for a 33 hiome Courtlands cross development

have been circulated, this time time the developer has delivered fliers to the local residents who will be overlooked by the proposed development of 33 houses on a field at the rear of houses built in Courtlands lane just inside the Lympstone boundary., although the developer calls it Exmouth.
Already some work has been carried out on the site by digging a pond at the lower part of one of the fields but which has destroyed the natural drainage from the fields and is making the lane (part of the East Devon Way) at the lower edge of the site extremely wet even in this very dry summer, Lord knows what it will be like when the rains comeback!
asimilar but larger plans have previously been rejected by EDDC despite their Officers approval after some very long and protracted battles by both the parish copuncil and local residents who were against development on this open land that acts as a buffer between Lympstone and it larger neighbour,
A greater view of this can be seen at the following link where a form is attached to comment upon the proposals.

courtlandscross.co.uk

A new application for seating in the Strand

Andy Dyer has applied for a pavement licence outside his new pub in the Cafe quarter, could be a retrospective application because he has had chairs and tables out there for weeks blocking the pathway. his formal request is supported by a plan that identifies the space he wishes to have but with a 2 metre clear space. Even with this space will be very difficult for the elderly or young mothers with pushchairs to use the footpath. Disabled people will be very badly inconvenienced as the chairs will spread about as drinkers push them back in their haste to get another cheap pint. Ever since this place opened there has been an offer of cheap booze often resulting in a group of hardened drinkers lounging around the tables and obstructing the pathway.
If readers are concerned they can read the notice fixed to a lamp post and use the address thereon to raise their objections but don't leave it too late and be ruled out of time.

EDDC among the top Rip Off Councils

In the WMN EDDC are listed in the top 5 of councils in the SW who are ripping off the motorists with their car parking fees and fines.

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Councils-Devon-Cornwall-defend-cash-cow-car-park/story-19711576-detail/story.html

I suppose that as a motorist I must be pleased that EDDC have selected me to subsidise their extravagances and take the pressure off those who are not drivers!

A super transport interchange?

Which has been muted by the council is not needed to satisfy the needs of the travelling public. what we have already is good enough although some small improvement should be made.

1. The Bus company who have the lease must be made to do some maintenance to preserve the structure of the buildings, shot blasting the steel work and painting it on a regular basis would be a fine start.
2. Repair or replace the broken windows and partitions
3. Renegotiating the terms of the lease to allow alternative uses within the area for say the provision of a mobility centre and possibly a cycle hire store with a rest room and cafe all built with simple construction methods.
4. bring every bus service into the exchange thus making all travelling easier for the public to access without cold wet walks between the various stops.
5. Provide a free phone for travellers to call for taxi's rather that have waiting cabs wasting their time in the hope of getting a fare.
6. Setting up a permanent coach set down and pick up bay within the site so allowing the car parking spaces in Imperial road to be reinstated but to make them pay and display (metered parking would be better)!
7. Convert all surface car parks to a pay on exit system that would save on enforcement costs and also provide the cash needed to make the changes needed to include the options called for in (3)
8. Remove the bus parking to another site to free up space and make employees use the npublic spaces increased available space and provides a small increase in revenue. Alternatively make a charge on the bus company for each vehicle parked within the site

Redevelopment of the rugby ground

the plans to redevelop the rugby ground will soon be gathering speed and although the Council has to put its plans into the public domain there is no compelling rule that makes them either consult the public nor take any heed of public opinion.
This is again a question of want/need/ cash.
EDDC wants top build more things in the town for which there is little appetite from the residents. A Supermarket chain would they hope provide the cash to do these things. It must not be thought that anyone is sayng that the Rugby club cannot relocate to whatever place it feels to be appropriate but the use of the ground must be retained for recreational purposes. In the press a letter writer suggested that converting the ground into a permanent caravan touring site would be appropriate. I totally agree that at least a part of the site could well be used in this manner after all the present club house is very easily converted into  reception and toilet block with on site laundrette for the caravanners who would then get into town to spend their holiday money We already have a few such sites in the area but none so near to the town that would give Exmouth the greatest benefit possible. A supermarket will not encourage other shopping visits (linked visits), whilst still deriving an income for the council from the fees without having to do anything to collect them
The council; and its employees are so blinkered that they just cannot see how the building of another supermarket will bring desolation to our shopping centre even without the anticipated influx that EDDC say will come to see this new store Although curiosity could at first there make some  visit but how many will drive along a very busy road for the "pleasure" of going to a Morrisons/Sainsburys.Waitrose when they have to pass them by on the way. FOGET It EDDC it just won't work. Those who live in the outskirts of Exmouth are more likely to shop in the existing Lidle/Tesco/co-op stores to save the hassle of driving into a congested town centre.

Where has the benevolent Lord of the manor gone?

In times or yore it was the custom for the local Lord to build things for the benefit of the people who lived in his manor Thus it became that we were able to enjoy the benefits of running water, public halls and toilets, churches and good roads and not least of all houses to live in. The modern Lord however has employed an agent to oversee his assets that has resulted in a very hard nosed view on what will now be done the local Clinton estates (CDE) being a class example
The connection between the councils and CDE has become so strong that there looks to be little that the Councils are willing to do that will or could prevent a very aggressive agent from running riot within the District Current examples are to be found in Exmouth where the council wants an extension to the Liverton Business park to be completed (it is owned by CDE) and in return it is willing to have a very large housing development on green land in the Littleham valley because CDE say that it is the only way that they are able to pay for the Liverton extension.
Another similar plan to build in Newton Poppleford has been stalled for now due to a last minute intervention by Natural England who have backed the claims of locals and objected top the plans throwing EDDC into turmoil. CDE is very much like the Duchy estates in Cornwall where they are able to get way with so much to the detriment of the public although CDE will not get the tax relief that the Duchy gets.
The Lord is not elected so we cannot get shot of him or his agents but surely in these so called democratic days our views must add up to something more than a gnat bite!

Inherited skills?

Printed in the WMN today Saturday 24th August a letter written by a correspondent from Ivybridge asks if there are any honest MP's any-more?

The fact that we now have a predominantly conservative controlled Parliament and both EDDC and most of the local  East Devon Towns and Parish councils are all controlled by the same party members is this the reason why councillors act in the same way as our parliamentarians?
The secondary question that arises Is the skill to tell porkies bred into politicians or do they learn it? I'l bet mother has very little to do with it,  probably the public schools system that is the kick starter usually the same one that dad and granddad attended, but that is mostly only the parliamentarians!  So how do the local politicians get it unless it is by breeding?

Another letter printed in the same paper points out that MP's are eating heavily subsidised food in their canteens which he describes as eating food from the food banks. The Commons canteens (Bars and restaurants) being subsidised to the tune of £4.9 million whilst the eight Lords canteens lost £2.3 million last year. The correspondent ends up by writing ."It is clearly a do as I say, not not as we do scenario. The expenses scandal hasn't really gone away, they've just moved things around. can we trust any of them? 
The judgement to yours!