A PUBLIC consultation will be held in Sidmouth to consider proposals for more affordable housing on EDDC-owned land at Stowford Rise.

A PUBLIC consultation will be held in Sidmouth to consider proposals for more affordable housing on EDDC-owned land at Stowford Rise.

Residents likely to be affected by the Devon & Cornwall Housing Group scheme have received letters inviting them to the consultation at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Manstone Lane, between 12 noon and 7pm on Tuesday, December 16.

Emma Southward, senior architect for the Architects Design Group, which is involved in the project, writes: "The proposed development is likely to be carried out over a number of phases.

"Because of this, we have been appointed to produce a masterplan for the sites to ensure a coherent design is produced that will offer the best solution for the site and the area."

Members of the proposal team will attend the consultation to answer questions and receive comments, which, says Ms Southward are "extremely important to us at this stage of the design process."

Rob Finch, regional development manager for Devon at DCHG said town and district councillors would attend the consultation during the first hour.

EDDC representative at the consultation event will be Paul Lowe, housing enabling officer.

"I don't know how many houses there would be. We are working with East Devon District Council in evaluating what the housing pot is for the rest of the land around the Waitrose area."

ADG was asked to carry out the master planning exercise to determine infrastructure and layouts and inform the group in terms of density numbers "so we can move forward subject to market conditions."

Mr Finch said there would be a mix of housing, some affordable, some market housing, but predominantly affordable.

He hopes the plan will be completed early next year.

"Whether the site gets developed or how we proceed with planning applications depends on Government funding," added Mr Finch, who was involved with the group's development at Chambers Close, Stowford.

* On Wednesday, EDDC's executive board agreed in private session to authorise the use of land in the council's ownership at Stowford on a long lease basis for the provision of a community centre.