Dawlish News

The submission from Black Country Properties Ltd followed several months of consultation with the local community and statutory consultants (Environment Agency, English Heritage, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
, etc) and the result of this has been a plan with a mix of land uses including offices, shops, a doctors surgery, a school and houses and flats.

Simon Steele-Perkins, Director of Black Country Properties claims 'The plans are meant to represent a real opportunity to solve a range existing environmental, social and economic problems in Dawlish'. Looking at the plans I really don't see how the claims made by Simon can be substantiated.

Unfortunately, we don't have the permission as yet to show the plans of Black Country Properties on dawlish.com, but keep in touch, as we should be able to provide some soon.

The first statement about solving environmental problems on the Shutterton land really does not hold. Are there really any environmental problems that can only be solved by developing the land? Is there any case in history where this as been the case? The only way I see of solving the current Shutterton Brook pollution is to stop development of the land and introduce pollution prevention steps, something that the council is capable of doing and is really responsible for.

The second claim about solving social problems is a little bit vague, but I don't see any social problems being solved by this proposal. We certainly have enough public houses in Dawlish, Barton Surgery is one of the most efficiently run NHS services in the area, there is no lack of nursing homes and certainly no lack of shops.

What we lack is affordable housing, something no one can have a control over, not even Black Country Properties Ltd unless they have a solution to providing the 100 people with new jobs in the Nursing home with accommodation that can be bought at 3.5 times the salary of those employed; something I very much doubt.

The third, a solution to the economic problems in Dawlish, again is a little bit doubtful. The primary economic problem of Dawlish is the distribution of wealth. Being a seaside resort, most employment offered is of minimum wage and only temporary. The additions of shops to the new Shutterton estate will probably only offer the same type of jobs. The rural offices will most likely be full of employees living on the estate and so there will be no opportunities for solving existing problems.

Is this really the solution we are looking for?

I believe the Shutterton Bridge development plan is flawed and the sole purpose of Black Country Properties Ltd is not to solve the problems of Dawlish but to use the land to make a profit, which is fair enough - who wouldn't. But the only way of getting planning permission is by using statutory consultants to help provide a development plan based on balancing social, commercial and residential requirements.

However, the situation ends up being that of adding an extra chunk of Dawlish's existing environmental, social and economic problems to Dawlish, not really something that we need.

No problems are solved by this proposal.

Planning documentation can be obtained from Teignbridge District Council and will also be lodged at Dawlish Town Council.