BREAKING: Knowle plans rejected
Alain Tolhurst
Friday, March 1, 2013
5:06 PM
Plans to redevelop Knowle and build 50 houses and a care home at the district council’s headquarters have been sensationally rejected.
Protesters swarmed the chamber this afternoon to voice their anger at the scheme, which they said would ‘desecrate’ Sidmouth parkland.
But the application was recommended for approval ahead of a special planning meeting at Knowle, and was expected to go through.
However after legal advice several councillors were unable to vote on the plans, and in their absence the remaining members of the committee voted to reject the proposals.
The decision marks an extraordinary defeat for East Devon District Council’s leadership, and will be a hammer blow to its plans to relocate to Honiton.
But on the other hand the realisation plans to build on parkland in Sidmouth had been scuppered were met with cheers from campaigners in the public gallery.
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1 comments
I'm a bit confused by the fact that there were four distinct planning reasons for refusal yet they had already been recommended for approval by the Planning Officer, who surely is also aware aware of the planning rules? Also, there were still three people, on that committee, in that room, who were definitely aware of these rules yet still voted for approval of these plans! What's that all about?
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White Knight
Monday, March 4, 2013