COMMENTS being submitted by Devon County Council over the draft World Heritage Site management plan for East Devon, have been altered to include three important points for Sidmouth.

COMMENTS being submitted by Devon County Council over the draft World Heritage Site management plan for East Devon, have been altered to include three important points for Sidmouth.

Following the intervention of Sidmouth Sidford County Councillor Stuart Hughes, Simon Timms, assistant director for environment, economy and culture, has been successful in getting the council to agree to include the three bullet points in its response to consultations over the management plan, which Mr Hughes believes are still relevant and should be clearly stated on the new version.

These are:

* Environmentally acceptable: natural processes should not be disrupted except where life or important man-made or natural assets are at risk;

* Technically sound: a range of options should be considered and schemes should be sustainable and work with natural processes as far as possible;

* Economically viable: the benefits of defending must be at least equal to the costs.

"I am, of course, delighted that this has been agreed as it will help in the fight to get a coastal defence scheme at or around Pennington Point," said Mr Hughes, who also raised the issue at Sidmouth Town Council.

The plan for the Dorset and East Devon Coast was last revised in 2003. The draft update will cover the period 2009-2014.

It has undergone a series of environmental assessments to ensure its implementation will have no serious impacts on the environment.

Public comments are invited by the steering group on its website: www.jurassiccoast.com by Tuesday, June 9, by email to consult@jurassiccoast.com or by letter to Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team, c/o Dorset County Council, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ.