General Discussion
The Kenton By-Pass
Did you know that one existed? No, nor me and nor, apparently, do lots of other people who live here yet according to one of the 'professionals' at the public hearing of the Dawlish N'bourhood Plan, the country road that leads off opposite the golf course at Starcross and that goes past Easter Hill Nursery and then Blackforest Farm before making its steep and windy way up to Mamhead and Haldon Forest is known locally by that very moniker.
That's the road by the way that's not very wide and has that sheer drop to one side for quite a bit towards the top.
Indeed, not only was the meeting told that the road is known locally as the Kenton by-pass (really?) but it was also suggested (by the same professional planner) as a way that extra traffic produced as a result of people living in the (to be built) new houses who needed to commute to/from work could avoid the A379 as this particular country road leads onto the A380 and thus to other A roads and the M5.
Just thought you might be interested in knowing the above in case you hadn't heard about it from anyone else.
This is probably the same "professional" who will allow houses to be built at the top of the Humpy and expect all the traffic to come up Badlake Hill as, after all, it is a road, never mind the width!
In his/her other life probably sits on the board of directors of Bovis/Barratt & Millwood homes. May even go on the TDC/VFD rate payer expensed jollies. These people are a bloody joke and we pay their wages. When is some protest group going to insist all this Local Plan etc RUBBISH is thrown in the bin
Always thought the Powderham road was known as the Kenton By-Pass. The other road 'up over the top' is a useful road, but only until too many people start using it.
For info. The professional planner who made the suggestion, and as it was made in public there are quite a few who can vouch that he did indeed say what he did, is a professional planner who works for a private planning consultancy. He's not a TDC planner. This private sector planner was at the Hearing representing landowners who have land out Gatehouse way.
To throw this local plan in the bin etc. Better the proposals as outlined in the Dawlish N'bourhood Plan or even the core strategy proposals as put forward by TDC than what I fear is going to happen - which is a planning application free for all. Have been looking at the national planning policy framework today (yes, I'm that sad) and have to say that I think Dawlish will be well and truly stuffed when it comes to having any say whatsoever in the number and location of houses that will be built.
The Dawlish N'bourhood Plan has no legal validity. The emerging TDC Core Strategy is exactly that - emerging, and thus has not been tested to see if it is viable and wasn't the LDF of some years back found to be unsound? Oh and on top of all of that I believe I'm correct in thinking that TDC does not have a 5 year supply of housing land which it is supposed to have.
So, all in all, I think the developers will have a, pardon the pun, field day here.
Not being an expert but having wasted my time attending the meetings of late is there any legal reason why TDC cannot block all planning applications of say more than five houses, until updated infrastructure is in place. Surely if the Environment agency can block having a car park at the end of the lawn on flood risk grounds they can block mass housing development on high risk polution grounds due to the failing sewerage system in the area.
What about the usual not in my backyard population. Can a mass withholding of council tax be organised.
Why is it the same 100 or so residents that always have to fight for the towns issues. Surely the £10,000 or so it would cost to get a local poll would be money well spent, then if the majority were in favor of a mass housing development BAN that would be it. No massive house building and no more arguments, local plans, core stratergies, regeneration commitee's etc, etc, etc.
I live on the road in question and have done so for the last 40 years. In our early days here it was the B3381, a quiet leafy lane, used mostly by locals. Possibly about 20 years ago it was de-classified and since then it has become increasingly busy and is now a rat-run morning and evening. Not infrequently, cars come down the last section of the hill, two abreast, as despite the crossroad and cottages, it is the first opportunity frustrated, ignorant and thoughtless people have to overtake.
There have been accidents and but for my guardian angel, I would have been a statistic. On that occasion I heard a voice in my head telling me urgently to get on the bank, which I did, and immediately, two cars came down taking up the whole road, one overtaking the other. Obviously, it wasn't my time to go but it was an eye-opening experience to know that I was being guarded and guided.