Save Our Space - Open Meeting - The Design Process

Donald Bishop, vice-chairman of the Totnes and District Society, gave this talk. He has also written to the Totnes Times (Thursday December 11th 2003) and it makes sense to show his letter here.

Re the development of Southern Area: is negotiation a better tactic than refusal?

1. The current proposal accepts the provision of affordable dwellings near the town as the principal priority without the inevitable delay of waiting for the new Local Plan, and without building on a green-field site. This important application merits much more thorough consultation than that provided by an application for outline planning consent.
2. Totnes and District Society's formal response to South Hams Council is that this application is withdrawn to provide time for a thorough review before making a revised application which could be considered in March 2004 - or subsequently
3. What are the options to improve the proposed scheme?
   1. Abandon development of the Southern Area until Grove School’s land becomes available when the school is relocated. This would permit more comprehensive planning, but incur major delay
   2. Redesign the proposal within the current development boundaries, but giving higher priority to open space, ideally creating a local park. Inevitably there would be fewer new dwellings, making the proposal less financially viable and demand for a green-field site in order to meet the then unmet demand for affordable dwellings.
   3. Improve the application without over-turning it - this is the society's preferred option,
4. Revisions that could materially improve the application:-
   1. Relocate the terrace of eight dwellings now perched on the edge of the car park. This terrace would dominate the valley and views from the valley. It should be divided into several sections and relocated. One possibility would be to use land due south of the proposed scheme. We do not know whether this land is available.
   2. Pay much more attention to landscaping. Earlier proposals for this development should be revisited. Moreover if the terrace is relocated (see (a) above) a garden could be made along the eastern edge of the car park’s top deck. This would afford views to Bridgetown and soften views of the car park from further down the valley.
   3. Review the amenity that owners/tenants of each cluster of dwellings will enjoy, Some appear to be much inferior to that of others e.g. the cluster at the beginning of St Katherine's Way
   4. In Conjunction with the Highways Division of Devon County Council, specify footpath routes that will safeguard residents and visitors from through traffic.
5. With these issues and parking satisfactorily resolved the society would support the application for its affordable dwellings but only if the quality of the scheme is assured.
6. Should outline planning consent be given disposal of this asset - this is what is intended - must be fully compliant with ‘best practice’ for public sector projects. This will demand that bids are assessed on the basis of best value for money, not only on the highest price offered.

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