A fundraising campaign to fight a potential planning appeal against the Sidford Business Park decision could cost tens of thousands of pounds.

Sidmouth Herald: A site layout showing the fixed layout of buildings for the proposed development at the site at Two Bridges Road in Sidford.A site layout showing the fixed layout of buildings for the proposed development at the site at Two Bridges Road in Sidford. (Image: Archant)

Those are the words of the Say No Sidford Business Park campaign group which has vowed to be ready if an appeal, to try to overturn the decision to reject the multi-million pound scheme, is lodged.

Last year East Devon District Council rejected proposals, put forward by Tim Ford to build 8,445sqm of employment floor space at the Two Bridges site, due to the number of lorries it would bring to the area’s ‘inadequate’ roads.

The applicant has until April 18 to lodge an appeal.

A campaign spokesman said: “We still don’t know whether the applicants who submitted the planning application to build the business park in Sidford intend to appeal against the council’s decision. Should the applicants decide not to appeal it would be nice to think that they would announce this so that local residents can be put out of their misery as otherwise this matter sits uneasily over us all.

“We have had to assume that, without any evidence to the contrary, the applicants will at some point submit an appeal.

“We are therefore preparing ourselves should an appeal happen.”

The spokesman said at an appeal EDDC would have to defend its decision to refuse the planning application and added: “The campaign, and many of you who have supported it, have cited broader reasons than those put forward by EDDC for opposing the proposals.

“Therefore, the campaign would want to become a formally-registered party which could fully participate at an appeal. To do this the group will need to employ a planning professional to make the arguments and to cross examine the applicants’ representatives and witnesses for us. Potentially, we would need to raise several tens of thousands of pounds to be professionally represented.”

A fundraising ceilidh will be held on Saturday, February 23 at Sidford Hall. Tickets £5 and there will be a raffle. Anyone who is interested in donating prizes has been asked to contact the group, which is in the process of opening a Lloyds Bank account.

Send an email to nosidfordbusinesspark@yahoo.com to contact the group.

The applicant has been approached for comment.