Save Our Space - Democracy at Work
Totnes Town Council recommends rejection of the plan!

Totnes Town Council held a full Council Mmeeting on 1st December 2003 at which the Southern Area Plan was considered at some length. We are pleased to report that the Council overwhelmingly endorsed the SOS view that the plan should be rejected.

There were 13 councillors present at the meeting and the public gallery was full. Before the Council discussed the Southern Area Plan there was a 15-minute period for members of the public to present their views. David Mitchell spoke for SOS (and used up most of the time!). He began by handing the councillors a document showing some of the views that will be lost if the plan goes ahead. You can see these lost views here.

The council considered the application under five questions, with each councillor given time to speak once on each. The 3 town councillors who also serve on the South Hams District Council did not speak or vote (indeed they are prevented from doing so to avoid the possibility of being accused of having prejudged the matter before the SHDC considers it).

We (SOS) were impressed with the way the matter was dealt with and very pleased with the outcome. The councillors seemed well-informed on what was planned and presented their arguments clearly and reasonably (even when they had opposing views to SOS). The five questions were:

1. Do the 100 housing units proposed represent over-development of the Southern Area?
   You may recall that the 2002 plan called for 63-87 dwellings. Almost all of the councillors felt that it was definitely excessive and when it came to the vote eight voted that it was over-development and two abstained.
2. Is the division into 1/3 'social rented', 1/3 'intermediate' and 1/3 'open market' reasonable?
   To meet this target the SHDC include the 22 units already built at S. Katherine's Way as Phase 1 of the Southern Area. Most felt it was reasonable, though several councillors were worried that the intermediate units would be soon sold off as 'open market' properties. The Council voted nine in favour with one abstention to urge a 50/50 split between 'social rented' and 'open market' dwellings as this would avoid the problem.
3. Is there adequate provision of and protection for open space within the plan?
   Again, almost all the councillors who spoke felt that the plan did not provide enough open space, or protect the green lungs of the town and was generally badly thought through. When it came to the vote it was proposed that there should be far more retention of mature trees and open space. All ten voted for the motion.
4. Is the proposed 3 deck car park appropriate and desirable?
   Note that the question of the houses on top of the lower deck was considered separately (see item 5). Most though that since the town urgently needs car parking space then as long as the car park was not obtrusive, it was acceptable. When it came to the vote there were seven in favour and three against.
5. Is the terrace of 9 houses on top of the car park (overlooking Leechwell Lane) acceptable?
   It was clear that several members felt most strongly that this was a totally unacceptable part of the plan. Indeed Councillor Boswell declared that it had got to be stopped and that if necessary she would sit down in front of the bulldozers to prevent the work being carried out. All ten voted that this part of the plan was totally unacceptable.

Finally it was unanimously agreed that SHDC should be urged to consider further consultation with the Town Council and the local community and that a letter should be sent to them recommending rejection of the plan and citing the reasons above (questions 1, 3 and 5).