District candidates agree to protect Sid Valley AONB
Sid Vale Association seeks commitment from EDDC candidates to protect East Devon’s AONB from developers if elected
SIXTEEN candidates in the district council elections have made a commitment to protect East Devon’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty if elected.
Following an invitation to Sid Valley candidates and others near the AONB from Sid Vale Association last week, seeking their commitment to “uphold the conservation and preservation of the ED AONB, and defend it from housing estates within it,” vice-chairman Handel Bennett said 16 had agreed so far.
A non-political civic society, the SVA was prompted to send out the invitation after receiving information that surveyors acting on behalf of a national house builder were in fields stretching from Greenway Lane, Woolbrook, southwards, along the B3176 towards Bulverton.
“They said this was necessary work preparatory to applying for planning permission,” said SVA.
“The area would accommodate hundreds of houses, and wipe out a very large area of countryside landscape to the west of Sidmouth.”
They asked candidates for a public commitment to protect the AONB from such development.
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*Because of reporting restrictions on political issues prior to elections, no information of who has supported the invitation will be published until after election day – May 5.
