HOLCOMBE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

 

 

Please reply to:

Mr J Watson,

Secretary, Holcombe Residents Association,

12 Windward Lane ,

Holcombe,

Dawlish,

DEVON EX7 0JQ

 

 

30th June 2008 ,

 

 Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Location:  Land & Barn Adjacent to 25 Old Teignmouth Road Dawlish, Devon EX7 0NJ

Description: Appeal against refusal of planning application no 07/05251/OUT

Outline- dwelling house (approval sought for landscaping)

Planning inspectorate reference: APP/P1133/A/08/2074838/WF

 

I am writing to comment on the above appeal on behalf of Holcombe Residents Association which has some 340 members who live in the village.

The Holcombe Residents Association fully supports the decision of Teignbridge District Council as the Local Planning Authority to reject this planning application. Such a development would be totally contrary to a significant number of the Authorities policies which are designed to protect the countryside for the benefit of all local people and visitors.

We wrote to Teignbridge District Council on 18th July 2007 Objecting to this proposal in the strongest possible terms and on the following grounds:

1.                   Development in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Coastal Preservation area.

2.                   Development in an area designated as part of the countryside open land between Dawlish and Teignmouth

3.                   Proximity to the South West Coastal footpath and infringement on this path. 

You will have access to our full comments in the file on this proposal.

 

This still represents the view of the Holcombe Residents Association and we consider that granting planning permission on this site would be totally unacceptable.   

We have read the developer’s submission to you in relation to this appeal and disagree completely with a number of statements in it:

  1. The number of people using the coast path when they observed it is, in our view, irrelevant.  This is the South West Coastal Footpath, one of our major long distance national paths.  We note that the developer fails to acknowledge this.  I live near this path and use it frequently, often meeting other walkers including those undertaking the long distance walk.
  2. Lack of upkeep by the local authority.  The developer’s remarks here are incorrect.  From personal and frequent observation I can assure the inspector that the path is well maintained.  I do agree that the wooden steps need renewal but this is not relevant to the current application and will, no doubt, be dealt with by the local council.
  3. The fact that the development would be invisible form the road is irrelevant.  It would be seen by all users of the footpath and they would have their right of way impeded by the proposed access drive.  The development would still be on land of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in the area designated as an open area between Dawlish and Holcombe.  It would constitute an unacceptable precedent for development there regardless of its visibility from the road.
  4. The developer asserts that the barn is currently an eyesore.  This is a matter of opinion.  It has certainly been allowed to become more and more derelict but this is surely the responsibility of the owner who is “a great believer in environmental needs” and not a reason for unacceptable development.
  5. This is not properly speaking an “infill site” as the developer is proposing a totally different use for the site than the original agricultural barn.

In short this is a most beautiful site and, in our view, erection of a dwelling there would be completely unacceptable and contrary to a number of key policies of the Planning Authority.

For these reasons we welcome the decision of the Local Planning Authority to reject this application.  We believe that their decision was correctly based on policies.

We therefore ask that you reject the appeal by the developer against the Local Planning Authority’s decision to refuse planning permission for the above proposal.

Would you please acknowledge receipt of this letter and inform me of the outcome of your consideration of this matter?

Yours faithfully,

 

John Watson, Secretary Holcombe Residents Association

 

Cc  Mr  G Chambers, Chairman, Holcombe Residents Association

Cllr H Clemens,

Head of Planning Services, Teignbridge District Council

Secretary of the South West Coastal Path Association

 

 

The Planning Inspectorate,

Hawk Wing,

Temple Quay House,

2, The Square, Temple Quay ,

BRISTOL   BS1 6PN